


Behind the Sea

by ariessmash



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Blood and Violence, Explicit Language, F/M, Kidnapping, M/M, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sex Trafficking, Time Skips, heeroxduo - Freeform, trowaxquatre, wufeixoc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:15:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 33,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22740856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariessmash/pseuds/ariessmash
Summary: Wufei hadn't expected the leader of a mercenary group to be a girl. Let alone a girl his age. She also shares a striking resemblance to Relena, but she is the exact opposite. Ayame is crass, foul mouthed and occasionally violent.  They get on each other's nerves and want nothing to do with one another. However, they have to come to terms, instead of blows, in order to work together.
Relationships: Chang Wufei/Original Female Character(s), Duo Maxwell/Heero Yuy, Trowa Barton/Quatre Raberba Winner
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings: violence, language, sexism, gunshot wound and blood.
> 
> Word count: 3,805
> 
> Author’s note: Nothing says 75% off chocolate like a Gundam Wing that has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day or chocolate. I’ve been rolling in the deep feels for Gundam Wing. I recently reread one of my old fics from 2015 and it was AWFUL and then I realized I’ve never done a proper introduction for my original character, Ayame. I did upgrade her appearance and background towards the end of last year and I love her even more now. I feel like she’s a better fit for Wufei.

**“Don’t scream. Don’t move.” A silvery voice whispered closely to Wufei’s ear. The next thing he felt was cold steal against his trachea. His hands itched to defend himself, but he held back. His curiosity getting the better of him.**

**“Pretty stupid of you trying to sneak into camp like this. Doesn’t OZ train its soldiers anymore?” The voice was obviously female. She was trying too hard to sound authoritative, but she came off mischievous and arrogant.**

**Wufei remained silent as he raised his hands above his head. He calculated his moves and attempted to predict her movements. Except, he didn’t know anything about this person. But how could defeating her be hard? She was just a girl and he was a highly trained martial artist.**

**Before she could slit his throat and spill his blood. Wufei reached over, quickly grabbed her wrist and flipped her over his shoulder. While still holding on to her wrist, he was able to keep her knife from going anywhere.**

**“Stupid of you to assume you had control to begin with and I’m no OZ soldier.” Wufei said with a bored drawl.**

**Then something unexpected happened. The girl twisted her body until she was on her knees and a palm. Just as she lunged forwards, Wufei leaned back and put a foot on her stomach. Releasing her wrist, he kicked her in the air backwards where she landed with a loud gasp and plop. They were both on their feet and now Wufei was in a good spot to access his attacker.**

**He was both happy and disappointed that she was, obviously, a girl. She was young, probably his age. Long dirty blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She resembled Relena a little, but tougher, wild and scrappy. Her clothes were dirty and ripped, the color matching the foliage. Smart.**

**“If you’re not an OZ soldier then who are you?” She asked, whipping out another knife. Just how many did she have?**

**“I can’t tell you.” Wufei replied, he had his fists balled up in front of him, protecting his face in a defensive stance.**

**“Right, so, killing you it is.” The girl shrugged, letting the knife twirl in between her fingers.**

**Dying would put a wrench in his long term plans. “I can’t tell you my name or my reasons. I am, however, fighting to defeat OZ.”**

**The girl stood there, considering Wufei’s words with an intense stare. Moments later, she put her knife away in the same manner she whipped it out.**

**“Alright, I guess that’s good enough. For now at least.”**

**“I could be lying.” Wufei relaxed his hands to his sides when the girl turned her back on him. “I could kill you.”**

**She tossed a smile over her shoulder towards him, “No. You won’t.”**

**Wufei followed her into a caravan of tents, small bonfires and men with guns. The girl was greeted by everyone warmly and some in drunken cheers, raising their glasses in the air. There were other women around, even some children. They looked like they were visiting from the village just below the thick forest.**

**Wufei, however, was either ignored or glared at suspiciously. The men weren’t exactly thrilled to see him. The women and children were wary of him, they had every right to be. He was a stranger in their territory. To them, at their tiny height, he probably looked menacing.**

**Eventually, they made their way to a giant tent in the middle of the camp. Maps were pinned to the fabric, dingy dim lamps dangled from the top and in the middle was a table with men surrounding it. And at the front were two familiar comrades.**

**Quatre peeked up from the papers he was reading, did a double take and then leapt out of his chair so abruptly it fell over. “Wufei!”**

**Trowa looked up after Quatre’s outburst, he acknowledged Wufei’s presence with a nod and small gentle smile displayed on his face.**

**“Oh, you know him?” The girl asked, while taking her jacket off and draped it over the chair that stood at the head of the table. She was watching the three gundam pilots in earnest now.**

**“Yes, he’s a gundam pilot.” Quatre confirmed happily. “He pilots Nataku.”**

**“Don’t tell her that! Are you insane?” Wufei asked, frustrated and swinging a fist around until his finger landed on her.**

**“Ayame is trustworthy.” Trowa said, “she’s been more than helpful to us in the past.”**

**“She and her group have helped us out of several bad situations.” Quatre added. “Including recently. If they hadn’t appeared Trowa and I would have been captured.”**

**“Why are you here now?” Wufei asked, sounding pompous and sarcastic with his arms crossed over his chest.**

**“We need help taking out a huge OZ mobile suit manufacturer facility. We have the manpower, but what we lack is fire power. Unlike you gundam pilots.” Ayame replied factually.**

**“We agreed to help when we realized destroying the facility would cut OZ’s power in half.” Quatre said, motioning to the maps in front of Wufei. There were red marks crossing out, what Wufei guessed were, facilities Ayame and her rebellion had already taken out. The map was littered with them, dozens upon dozens. It was impressive, but Wufei wasn’t about to admit that.**

**He looked them over, seeing the strategy behind each gundam. The one thing he didn’t see was where the leader of the nameless group was positioned. It looked like there was a jeep at the front line. That didn’t seem like a good spot for someone to be. Especially the leader. Whoever they were, they could easily be killed.**

**Just to play dumb Wufei pointed at the car icon, “is this the leader here?”**

**“Yep.” Ayame chimed.**

**“That doesn’t look like a good spot for him to be in.”**

**Quatre and Trowa shared anxious glances between each other and then carefully watched the two.**

**“I know generals and commanders like to hang in the back to see the bigger picture and call the shots. I like to be front and center. It wouldn’t be fair to ask my men to put their lives on the line while I’m tucked away in the back safe and sound. We all have a lot to lose.”**

**Wufei’s brows rose in skepticism and scoffed, “you.”**

**“Yea me.” Ayame confirmed, her voice transforming into a hard line. When Wufei didn’t speak and continued gawking at her like she grew three heads a light bulb switched on, “oh! Did no one tell you? I’m the leader.”**

**Wufei considers her for a moment and then shifts his gaze towards Quatre and Trowa. There was no way a girl was leading an insurrection. Especially a teenager. Why did they follow her? What was her qualification to be a leader?**

**“You don’t have a problem with a girl in charge, do you?” Ayame asked, batting her eyelashes up at him. She was goading him and Trowa found it somewhat funny when Wufei was holding his words back, but his look of disgust said it all.**

**Quatre cringed, this conversation was going to end in a fist fight. Wufei was still close minded when it came to women and how they can be large and in charge. Quatre cleared his throat, gaining everyone’s attention.**

**“Ayame and her rebels have destroyed more than half of OZ’s factories. That was after she inherited the squad when her predecessor died.”**

**“Is that so?” Wufei said, turning**

**“Yes,” Ayame interrupted Wufei, leaning forward in her chair and propped her elbows on the table. Her chin resting on her intertwined fingers. Her hard disapproving glare burned right through Wufei, threatening him. Daring him to challenging her. Wufei was the rock in Ayame’s sea beating against him. Slowly eroding.**

**“When does the mission start?” Wufei asked, swallowing the dry lump in his throat.**

**“In two days.” Trowa replied, “do you have Nataku with you?”**

**Wufei retrieved Nataku and brought it back to the camp next to Heavyarms and Sandrock. The three gundam pilots, Ayame and her lieutenants stood around the planning table to go over everything down to the last men. The next day they would be spending fueling up trucks and packing every one of them with explosives. Ayame did make one adjustment to her original plan. Instead of pairing up with Quatre and she would be with Wufei.**

**Wufei was in his cockpit, making last minute calibrations when he heard a knock outside the open door. He peered up and saw Ayame standing in jeans and a worn out blue sweater. She was holding two steaming mugs. Then he was confused.**

**“How did you get up here with two cups?” Wufei asked.**

**“I climbed, obviously.” Ayame rolled her eyes and smirked.**

**“But how did you with two cups in each hand?” Wufei repeated his question, pointing at each of the steaming cups.**

**“Very carefully.” Was all Ayame said with a grin that didn’t make Wufei break his stoic mask. “Look, do you want the damn coffee or not?”**

**Sighing, Wufei stood from the chair and took the warm mug Ayame offered him. He thought she would leave, but she didn’t. Instead she turned around and sat on the ajar door.**

**“Is there something I can help you with?” Wufei asked over his mug.**

**“No.” Ayame sung, the note was a sweet melody. Loud, but not annoying.**

**Wufei rolled his eyes and shook his head. He took a sip of his drink and immediately spit it out all over his console. “What’s in this?” Wufei beat his fist against his chest, hoping the burning sensation would disappear with every drum.**

**“Just a little bit of cheap ass whiskey. But it warms you up nicely and helps you sleep.”**

**“Why in the hell would you put alcohol in my drink?” Wufei hissed, his face scrunching when the after taste finally hit.**

**“Not just yours, mine too.” Ayame happily sipping at her mug, kicking her dangling feet. “It gets cold out at night here and you are absolutely ill prepared for it.”**

**She glanced over at his blue and loose tank top and baggy white pants.**

**“I would have managed.” Wufei cleaned up his mess and joined Ayame at the breach, leaning against the metal framework of the chest of his gundam Nataku. She seemed so content drinking her booze laced coffee with her hair hanging loose around her shoulders.**

**“Quatre mentioned you had a predecessor.” Wufei inquired. He wasn’t going to ask why he left a group of rebels in the hands a girl. Quatre had pulled him aside after the first meeting and told him to watch what he says around Ayame. That she wasn’t like the other girls he was used to being around. She wouldn’t hesitate to kick his ass if he pushed too many of her buttons.**

**“Yea, he and Rasid were old buddies.” Ayame said.**

**Wufei had a brief idea who Rasid was and a what he looked like. He knew he was Quatre’s right hand and managed the Maganac Corps whenever the Sandrock pilot was away. He was a good man and incredibly wise.**

**“I guess that explains how you know Quatre and about the gundams.” Wufei gripped the handle of his cup tighter and clenched his jaw tight. He was still irritated she knew that secret. Normally, if someone saw a gundam they had to die. It didn’t matter who they were. Fuck, Heero was going to kill Relena, the adopted daughter of a well known political leader and daughter of actual royalty.**

**“Its not like any of us can go babbling about how we know some of the gundam pilots. We’d get captured and tortured for information.”**

**“I suppose that makes sense.” Wufei shrugged. “Wait how long have you been with this group?”**

**“Since I was six.”**

**Wufei looked up from his cup in looking doleful and haunted.**

**“My family lived under King Peacecraft, my mother is…was the younger sister of Queen Katherine. Relena’s mother.” Ayame admitted softly.**

**“So you’re half a Peacecraft?” Wufei pointed.**

**“Yes. I’m a few months older than Relena, but we’ve never met.” Ayame lightheartedly smiled, “she probably wouldn’t approve of the way I’ve been living.”**

**“No, really?” Wufei failed to contain his eyes from rolling.**

**“Shut up and let me continue my sad background story.” Ayame would have thrown her mug at him, but it was still full of coffee. And she didn’t want to waste it, coffee was one of the groceries that was the hardest to come by. If there was any milk it immediately went to the children and sugar did not exist. Not around these parts.**

**“Because of my mother’s bloodline she could claim the throne, so after the Romerfeller Foundation destroyed Relena’s family. They came after mine. Me.”**

**Intrigued by the story, Wufei joined her on the hatch keep his cup secured on his lap with both hands.**

**Ayame continued, “my mother and I escaped further up north. We ran into this group and they took us in. No questioned asked because they already knew who we were. I remember feeling afraid, sad and confused.”**

**“You were young.” Wufei validated her feelings. She was a child and had every right to feel those emotions. He didn’t have to imagine what she went through. His entire colony was destroyed right in front of his eyes. The rage and grief he felt, it almost consumed his soul.**

**“My mother was injured and didn’t make it. One day she was there, promising me that we’d find a safe place to live, and the next day I was holding a gun—shooting at a target.”**

**“That’s a bit drastic.” Says the pilot of a 80 ton killing machine who has been trained in the martial arts since he was child. Except that was customary to his people, teaching a six year old girl how to shoot a gun after he entire family was murdered was not.**

**Ayame shrugged with a laid-back smirk, “Oren was only trying to help in the only way he knew how and that was teaching me how to defend myself and also kill if I needed to.”**

**“Like last night?” Wufei took a daring sip, it was bracing, but he was requiring a taste for the bitter drink.**

**“Give me a break, I didn’t know you were Quatre’s friend.” Ayame said, excusing herself of her actions. She placed her cup besides herself and leaned back on her hands. She stared up the stars through the dense branches and leaves.**

**“So you wouldn’t have pulled a knife on me?” Eyed her suspiciously from the side.**

**“I still would have done that, no doubt.” Ayame said, eyes casted darkly.**

**Wufei felt a shiver go down her spine. Not a lot of people can make him feel scared or threatened. He’s never met someone as two-faced as Ayame. It was deadly trait to be both Jekyll _and_ Hyde. To be able to slip into a darker persona, like putting a sock on, was unpredictable and dangerous. **

**“Why do you fight, Wufei?” Ayame asked suddenly.**

**Wufei remained silent.**

**Ayame stood, picking her cup up in the process. “I can see it in your eyes. You have the look of a man that wants revenge. Can I offer you some advice?”**

**Wufei stared up at her unblinkingly and vacant.**

**“I’m gonna give it. A person who seeks revenge should dig two graves. One to put the person who wronged you in and the other for yourself. Because revenge is all consuming and will destroy you in the end.” Ayame probably sounded like a know-it-all, but she didn’t care. She has seen so many people die seeking revenge or grow cold when their revenge didn’t fill the void.**

**“You wouldn’t say that if you knew anything about me.” Wufei begrudgingly said, black eyes shining with intense hatred. Not towards Ayame, but her assumption about him was angering him.**

**“That maybe true and I don’t assume anything about your past or present. But revenge is the same for everyone, caused by different situations, but the endings are all the same. It all leads to mutual destruction.” Ayame shrugged and then leapt in the air. Wufei stood, his heart beginning to beat rapidly in this chest. He’s never met anyone so reckless other than Heero. However, seeing her end her fall with a few graceful front flips and land on her feet stilled him.**

**“Hold on a minute.” Wufei called out, catching Ayame before she disappeared into the snow covered woods. “Why do you fight?”**

**Ayame beamed up at him, “I want to be the change that needs to happen and then disappear into the shadows.”**

**Ayame was right about the drink. Wufei has never slept so well before or stayed asleep. She was also right about the temperature getting cold. He felt like an idiot, walking around the camp in a tank top. If it weren’t for drink he probably would have felt his lungs freeze with every shallow inhale. When he wandered into the tent he, Quatre and Trowa shared the two were already under, what he guessed, were five blankets.**

**The next morning there was an excited buzz throughout the entire camp. He felt it too, going on a real mission after spending months without orders was beginning to put a depressive damper on his mood. He was beginning to get impatient while waiting to head out, but one of the trucks needed tuned up after being out in the cold all night. It had stalled out and refused to turn over.**

**Ayame’s voice came over Wufei’s P.A system with a static, which was odd since he doesn’t remember giving her his secured code.**

**“We’re heading out in two minutes.” He peered at one of his monitors and saw Ayame standing in her jeep with a radio in hand. Her hair was back in a hold, but this time in a messy bun. In the same clothes she wore when they first met, but this time she had two guns strapped to a chest holster. Her knives were probably hidden and no one would be able to find them even she were to be searched.**

**“How did you get this frequency?” Wufei asked, genuinely concerned that his line was hack-able and would need Heero or Duo to fix it.**

**“Does that really matter right now? We need to be able to communicate.” Ayame said, but then heard nothing from him, “Quatre gave me the access code and no one else so don’t get your panties in a bunch.”**

**Wufei crossed his arms in a pout and moved out, following behind Ayame in the skies. When they arrived at the facility the gundams were well hidden behind large oak trees with long and thick branches. Ayame perched herself on the headrest of her seat and pressed binoculars to her eyes. Wufei was seeing what she was seeing. Men patrolling the perimeter, barracks for the men to live in, large buildings probably to hold meetings and Leo and Taurus suits protecting the larger facilities. Just like Ayame’s recon mission group reported up until yesterday. Nothing had changed.**

**As soon as Ayame gave the order her foot men ambushed the OZ soldiers simultaneously and took them out before any of them could sound the alarm. Next, the gundam pilots targeted every enemy mobile suit and took them out in the same fashion. The siren began to wail a low, ominous moan, but the damage had already been done. Ayame drove her jeep through the entrance with Wufei following behind her. She went passed the mobile suit factories, leaving him to take care of them according to their plan and went straight to the communication building.**

**“What’s that woman doing exactly?” Wufei asked, firing at the buildings with a stale and stoic stare.**

**“She’s getting us information about other facilities throughout Earth to take out in the future.” Quatre replied, firing off his last round. Hoping Ayame didn’t hear that ‘woman’ comment.**

**“She has twenty minutes to get in and get out. If she hasn’t returned by that time she’s told us to leave without her.” Trowa reminded the two. Mainly to Quatre, he had an issue with this part of Ayame’s plan. He didn’t think it was right for them to leave her behind when she was risking the most.**

**Even though he didn’t say anything, Wufei could sense Quatre’s nervousness through the screens. He didn’t understand why the blonde was worried about her. It was her plan to offer her services to get them information. If she gets caught then it was her fault and her responsibility to get herself out.**

**At that moment there was a large explosion from the building Ayame ran into. The gundam pilots watched as it slowly succumbed to the flames. Static prickled over their speakers and then Ayame’s voice broke through.**

**“I got everything, lets get the hell out of here.” Maybe it was because she had been running for a long period, but her breathing was shallow, unfocused and rigid.**

**Before anyone could ask if she was alright, she was already driving off, avoiding the fires that had spread to the grounds of the facility. Quatre tried to keep an eye on her as they escaped because something didn’t feel right. But being so high up and in the position Ayame was sitting in he couldn’t tell. She was driving so fast, her hair had come loose and was now whipping in the wind.**

**They made it back to the camp safely. Everyone was cheering as Ayame drove in and thanked the gundam pilots once they were on the ground. Quatre and Trowa gathered around Ayame as she stepped out of the vehicle. She handed Quatre the flash-drive with the files and sighed deeply, leaning against the metal frame of her jeep. Wufei noticed the pale tint to her face and sweat clinging to her skin as a few drops scaled down her cheeks.**

**He saw it happen in slow motion, the blood pooling around her feet and then she dropped to her knees. Swiftly moving, Wufei caught her before she hit the ground, maneuvering her so she laid on her back—secured in his arms.**

**Quatre and Trowa were on her other side of her, pushing clothes aside to find where the blood was originally coming from. Thinking the situation couldn’t get any worse, Ayame began to cough up blood, spurting everywhere. Quatre’s face went immediately pale while Trowa and Wufei pushed her shirt up and undid the bullet proof vest that was underneath; careful not to reveal her chest. Wufei found the wound, a bullet wound lodged between what he guessed were her third and fourth rib. In her lungs.**

**“This isn’t good.” Wufei said, as more blood spilled out of her mouth.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her face and body relaxed back into the bed and her breathing returned to normal. However, she didn’t release her hold on Wufei’s hand. It didn’t bother him, but if Trowa returned and saw this he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from feeling embarrassed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: none
> 
> Word count: 2,326
> 
> Author’s note: I had to continue with chapter immediately. I can start plot planning now that I have feeling where this is going. Thank you for reading and enjoy chapter two~! 
> 
> P.S: Remember to follow my twitter @Corra_Lynne to receive updates and participate in future polls.

**Those closest to Ayame kept the secret that she had been shot from the lower ranking members and the civilians. Her lieutenants escaped into the middle tent, not wanting everyone to read their worried face. They’ve known Ayame the longest and have come to care for her like a daughter. They were responsible for training her, grooming her to take over the leadership role when Oren passed away. They were idiots. They didn’t have anyone in place to inherit the role if Ayame were to “kick the bucket”, as Ayame put it.**

**Quatre and his men helped them keep the secret intact so panic didn’t explode throughout the camp. The last thing the medical tent needed was a crowd outside demanding updates on her condition. Wufei remained on the inside by the makeshift door, keeping an eye on the situation. While Trowa was outside. He was more of a people person than him, Wufei’s patience would have ran thin quickly. He would have shouted at everyone and not feel bad about it later.**

**The doctor and her few assistants were mumbling to each other. Their stiff expressions and rigid body language was saying it all. One of the assistants was continually dabbing the doctor’s head, also not a good sign. Hands moved quickly over her body, tools were being exchanged and whispers snacked throughout the tent.**

**A high pitched mechanic cry pierced everyone’s ears.**

**“BP dropping—”**

**“She has no pulse—”**

**“Bring the paddles, charge to 200.” The doctor ordered, stepping back and letting her nurses prepare Ayame for the sudden charge of electricity.**

**“Paddles are charged.”**

**The doctor pressed the paddles to Ayame’s skin and took a deep breath, “clear!”**

**Everyone stepped back with their hands raised and seconds later Wufei saw Ayame’s body rise off the table. He swallowed hard, his jaw clenching, the nervous pit in his stomach heating when the echoing whaling noise continued. Wufei has never seen something like this before. He’s never seen a team of people struggle to bring someone back to life, he’s never seen someone die. He was protected in the cockpit of his gundam. He was shielded. Even before he became a gundam pilot when he lived on L5, he kept his nose deep in the books. He never experienced the world.**

**A few charges later and Ayame was back. Her heartbeat was steady and everyone sighed collectively. Even Wufei. He surprised himself, he had no idea that he was holding his breath. Trowa appeared in the opening of the tent, the tension in the air was palpable. He had heard everything through the tent and managed to keep the people at bay.**

**“How’s everything going?” He asked, obviously aware of what had just happened, but seeing the evidence on Wufei’s face was something else.**

**His face was pale, mouth hanging open like a fish gasping for his next breath. Trowa placed a hand on his shoulder, jarring him until Wufei was brought out of his stupor. The Chinese pilot couldn’t fake his shock when he saw Trowa standing next to him, when the last time he saw the taller boy was outside the tent.**

**“Go get some air.” Trowa said, more as an order than a suggestion.**

**Wufei turned his head slightly to watch the surgery continue. They were doing what they could to stop Ayame’s bleeding so they could transfer her to the nearest hospital. They were hours away and this was the only way to save her. Could she hold out? It was obvious she was strong, but even the strongest could die from a wound like this.**

**Feeling the stress from the situation melt away as soon as he left the tent. The air around the camp was just as tense, there was no cheering for a successful mission. The men sat around the campfires absently staring into the flames, their drinks long forgotten. Some of them looked like they wanted to approach Wufei but didn’t know if they could handle the worst news. Would he have the nerves of steels to tell them?**

**Quatre found Wufei sitting at the foot of Nataku, in a mediation position, eyes closed and breathing even. Trowa told him what had happened in the medical tent and the Sandrock pilot grew concerned. Being with the Maganac Corp for a few years and being on the front lines Quatre was used to seeing the gore. Wufei has never been around a war front like this, he’s never had to deal with life and death in person. He couldn’t dissociate from this, no matter how hard he tried.**

**“I came to check on you.” Quatre said quietly and approaching him in the same way.**

**Wufei’s eyes opened slowly, “how is she?”**

**The nerves he felt were breaking had mended with his short meditation break. He untangled himself from his sitting position but didn’t bother to stand. Quatre wondered if it was because his legs had fallen asleep.**

**“They’re letting her recover from the surgery before we transfer her to the hospital.” Quatre replied, sitting beside Wufei. “She lost a lot of blood, but what we’re all worried about right now is infection.”**

**“What will her rebel group do without her?” Wufei asked.**

**“I’ve asked Rasid and the other Maganacs to stay behind and give them support.” Quatre said, leaning forward resting a temple on his knee to stare up Wufei.**

**“What are you and Trowa doing?” Wufei asked, relaxing when Quatre did.**

**“We’re taking her to the hospital to keep her safe.” Quatre replied, “you should come with us.”**

**Wufei cocked an eyebrow, “why?”**

**Seriously, why? He wouldn’t say that he doesn’t like Ayame, but they weren’t friends either. They were barely comrades. He found her annoying and arrogant.**

**“Do you want to stay here?” Quatre’s head popped up. Surprised.**

**“No.”**

**“We’re you going somewhere else for a mission?”**

**Wufei didn’t answer.**

**“Then you should come with us.” Quatre beamed, “we’ll need the extra help keeping her identity a secret.”**

**“So we’re babysitting?” Wufei internally groaned. He’s highly trained, intelligent, and skilled warrior. A babysitting warrior.**

**“Don’t think of it as babysitting. Think of it as protecting a future comrade.” Quatre said, the ending fueled with apprehension.**

**Wufei’s ears perked and his head snapped in Quatre’s direction, “what do you mean by that?”**

**Quatre paused, deciding how he wanted to answer the question. “Heero called. We’ve been ordered to bring Ayame into our fold.”**

**Wufei stood abruptly, “are you serious? Why? She’s not a gundam pilot!”**

**“You’re only half right. She can pilot mobile suits and she’s one of the best out there. She also has connections that we don’t.”**

**“Coming with you isn’t a suggestion then? It’s an order?” Wufei scowled down at him.**

**“It is.” Quatre brushed Wufei’s gaze off with ease and climbed to his feet. “We head out tomorrow. Make sure Nataku is on a transportation truck for Rasid and the others to drive to a hideout.”**

**Ayame remained asleep as the trio drove to the nearest hospital, which was two hours away. Trowa remained in the back with her, monitoring her vitals and making sure the patch job didn’t come undone. Wufei watched as the forest transformed into a hustling small town. He could see the hospital on the horizon and glanced behind his shoulder as Trowa readied himself to get Ayame out of the van.**

**The doctors and nurses didn’t ask any questions outside of what had happened and how she’s been in the last 24 hours. Wufei felt that was odd and he was about to ask Quatre what was going on, but he had disappeared behind the nurse’s station. Which only deepened Wufei’s curiosity.**

**Trowa approached the confused Wufei and tapped him on the shoulder. He motioned for him to follow and he did so in silence. They entered a waiting room complete with a coffee machine that most likely dispensed disgusting coffee in the entire world. A tar like substance. Wufei made himself hot water and place a green tea teabag inside, it probably wasn’t any better, but he had no choice.**

**“This hospital is run by Quatre’s family.” Trowa explained, sitting beside his comrade. “They don’t ask questions and keep everything confidential.”**

**“That makes sense.” Wufei sipped on his tea and cringed. Maybe he was better off with ordinary water.**

**Quatre walked into the room with a rather large file. “I think Ayame enjoys getting hurt.”**

**“Or she’s just incredibly unlucky.” Trowa commented.**

**“Look at this,” Quatre flipped open the file, “stab wounds, broken bones, concussions, large gashes that needed stitching, bullet wounds and high fevers.”**

**“That does seem a little extensive.” Trowa said, hunching forward to take a closer look at her file.**

**Wufei couldn’t help but be impressed, “does this go all the way back to her beginning?”**

**Before their conversation could progress the doctor walked in, clearing his throat. “Ayame is stabilize, but she will be here for a few days. The amount of blood she has lost is substantial.”**

**“Thank you.” Quatre nodded with a polite smile, “is she in the usual room?”**

**The doctor looked nervous, “no.”**

**Quatre stopped abruptly and turned towards the doctor. His polite smile altered into a snake like business smirk. Quatre was truly terrifying when something didn’t go as plan. “What?”**

**The doctor broke out into a nervous sweat and his back straightened, “you see, sir, we’ve seen a rise in Oz soldiers. A general is in your normal suite and in order to keep your friends safe and out of site is by placing them in a different room.”**

**“And where is this room?” Quatre stepped forward, his face getting more and more tighter. “Exactly?”**

**“On the south side of the hospital.” The doctor gulped.**

**Quatre stepped back, “oh is that all? You made it sound like you put her in the psych ward.”**

**“I would never do that, sir.” The doctor stammered.**

**“You better not.” Quatre sung out as he exited the waiting room. Wufei and Trowa followed after him after saying farewell to the trembling man.**

**In the room Ayame was tucked neatly under the blankets, a nasal cannula secured around her face and an I.V bag of fluids and antibiotics stuck in her arm. Quatre placed her large chart at the foot of her bed and rearranged the furniture around her bed so all three of them had a place to sit.**

**“I am a little concerned about Oz soldiers being here.” Quatre admitted suddenly.**

**“Should we call Duo and Heero?” Trowa asked.**

**Quatre leaned back in his chair, bringing a hand to face thinking of a plan, “no I don’t think we should. If there’s too many of us it may draw attention. We just have to wait a few more days until Ayame is released, I think we’ll be fine.”**

**“That’s if she ever wakes up.” Wufei said, it was meant to be under his breath, but he couldn’t help himself.**

**Ayame remained asleep throughout the night. She didn’t stir when the medical staff made their rounds or when cots were brought in for the boys to sleep on. They rarely used them since they were uncomfortable and smelled too much like cleaning chemicals. Wufei and Trowa took turns perching themselves by the door to keep watch while Quatre left the hospital for a few hours a day. Most likely preparing a new safe house for the six of them to settle in.**

**During the third day of Ayame in her coma, Trowa had left to use the bathroom and then venture to the cafeteria to get food for the both of them. Wufei was standing by the door, keeping watch for Oz soldiers. There were soldiers wandering the halls, but with the blinds closed they weren’t able to peer into the room. The men also seemed distracted by attractive nurses and Wufei got the impression that the women didn’t mind. After three days, he thought the enemy wouldn’t bother them.**

**Ayame stirring in the bed caught his attention. He approached her when her head twitched to the side. Peering down at her he noticed how the sweat clung to her bangs and how her cheeks were a sweet tint of pink. Her eyes were darting back and forth underneath the folds, her face screwed in a grimace and pitiful moans escaped her lips.**

**Wufei grabbed a water basin, filled it with cold water and snagged a washcloth from the shower. Returning to Ayame’s side, he placed everything on the bedside table and dunked the washcloth in the mini tub. He sat on the edge of her bed, pushed the hair out of her eyes before dabbing the sweat away.**

**“…mom…”**

**A nightmare. Wufei concluded as tears pricked at her eyes. Wufei left the rag on her forehead and placed a hand on hers. Her fingers immediately wrapped around his.**

**“Don’t leave…mom…please…” Ayame choked. “Don’t leave me.”**

**“Hey, wake up.” Wufei said, gently at first, but when her nightmare continued he leaned in closer. “Wake up Ayame.”**

**Her face and body relaxed back into the bed and her breathing returned to normal. However, she didn’t release her hold on Wufei’s hand. It didn’t bother him, but if Trowa returned and saw this he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from feeling embarrassed.**

**Wufei was replacing the rag on her head when Ayame’s eyes began to lift open. Her eyes adjusted to the bright lights bouncing off the white walls and the smell of disinfectants. It was the warm sensation in her hand that drew her attention to her side. She followed up the person’s arm and locked eyes with the blurry form of the person next to her. She blinked away the rest of the fuzz until her vision cleared and clearly watched Wufei as his attention was somewhere else.**

**Ayame coughed, her throat dry and full of cotton. “Wufei?”**

**Tilting his head to meet her half lidded eyes. “Welcome back.”**


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have no idea what they’re doing in between the house and here. Quatre has assured all of us the house is ready. Tell Maxwell to calm down, I have seen Quatre’s grocery list. There is plenty of food to feed a small army, let alone five—six people.” Wufei rolled his eyes, he didn’t think Ayame saw, but then she giggled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: ummmm none
> 
> Word count: 1891
> 
> Author’s note: I’m surprised and proud of myself I finished this with everything that’s going on. I’m trying not to apologize for writing short chapters, but I added three pages.

**Wufei was across the room, leaning against the window. The heat beating down on his exposed shoulders, but he didn’t mind it much. The room Ayame has been in for the last two weeks was cold sterile, there was no warmth in the white walls. Ayame was surfing channels while Wufei had one of Quatre’s phone, with a private line, attached to his ear.**

**“Trowa left about fifteen minutes ago to pick Quatre up.” Wufei glanced over towards Ayame. Her eyes were drowning in the screen of info-mercials and QVC ladies.**

**“I have no idea what they’re doing in between the house and here. Quatre has assured all of us the house is ready. Tell Maxwell to calm down, I have seen Quatre’s grocery list. There is plenty of food to feed a small army, let alone five—six people.” Wufei rolled his eyes, he didn’t think Ayame saw, but then she giggled.**

**Ayame was getting stronger every day and giving the doctors and nurses hell. She wanted out of here as much as anyone, but she didn’t like being someone’s pushpin. Suddenly, a nurse walked in and quickly closed the door with her back turned to them. She usually entered the room with a warm smile with a clipboard in hand.**

**“I need to go Yuy. Somethings wrong.” Wufei hung up the line before Heero could question him.**

**“What’s going on Hey Nurse?” Ayame asked, using her favorite nickname for the middle aged woman. She heard an elderly man call her that and saw how it bugged her. Her originally thinking was if she annoyed the staff enough they’d release her early. No go. They put up with her like any annoying patient.**

**Wufei and Ayame were both on edge when the woman slowly turned around. The woman’s face was pale, wide-eyed and strands of hair were out of place from her normally neat and perfect ballerina bun.**

**“You have to leave, the both of. Now.” The nurse rushed forward, getting Ayame the wheelchair they brought in this morning for her release tomorrow.**

**“Why? What’s going on?” Ayame asked, swinging her legs over the side of her bed. She winced and doubled over when she moved too fast, her body spasmed, which caused her to wince and whimper. Wufei was at her bed side, prepared to help in the transfer.**

**The nurse’s face knitted into regret, “I’m so sorry. It seems some of our younger staff members said too much to some of the soldiers.”**

**“You have got to be kidding me?” Ayame rolled her head back simultaneously with her eyes. It’s reasons like this is why Ayame is glad she’s not a normal girl attending school. She hates gossipy bitches.**

**“They’re coming to see you.” The nurse warned them with a stern glare. “I’m worried they’ve found out you are who you are.”**

**“Like you said, time for us to leave.” Wufei slithered an arm around Ayame’s back and helped her stand to her feet.**

**“And how exactly do you propose we do that? I can hardly move.” Ayame said, tilting her head towards Wufei.**

**“I actually have an idea about that.” The nurse’s serious expression disappeared and was replaced with a calm smile.**

**Trowa and Quatre pulled up to the hospital seeing a couple standing outside. The woman was in a wheelchair balloons were tied to the handles, holding a small, swaddled baby. Her stomach was still round and she looked tired but glowing in the afternoon sunlight. The man behind her, had both hands on the wheelchair, peering down at her tenderly. Quatre was happy for them, to see random people carrying on with their lives, doing things that made them happy…wait a minute.**

**“Is that Wufei and Ayame?” Quatre asked, leaning forward in his seat. His eyes turning into crescent moons as he squinted through the sun’s rays.**

**“I think it is.” Trowa agreed, as he pulled up to the curb.**

**Quatre quickly unbuckled himself and hopped out the car. “What’s going on? Ayame, why do you look pregnant? And holding a baby?”**

**Ayame smiled sweetly, “because we had a baby.**

**“I’m sorry, what?” Trowa asked, opening up the side door.**

**Wufei puts a finger to his lips, “you’ll wake the baby.” Then he points to the entrance where soldiers were standing by. They were watching the four of the them suspiciously, but with them being so out in public they couldn’t approach them. Oz was hardly welcomed in the town and taking a new mother and father in for question would have made them more of an enemy to the public.**

**Trowa and Quatre immediately understood and went along with their make believe even though it was extremely awkward. They probably laid it on a little too thick with the hugs and cooing at the fake baby, that was in fact, just a bunch of towels. Wufei helped Ayame into the back of the van while she held onto their fake infant.**

**As soon as the vehicle was out of site Ayame tossed the fake baby into the third row of seats and started pulling out the extra stuffing.**

**“You know if you tossed a real baby like that, you would have killed it.” Wufei said, shaking his head.**

**“I know that. I’m not an idiot. The extra padding is irritating my stitches.” Ayame gasped in relief when she sat back in her seat.**

**Quatre was ignoring their bickering as he looked over doctor’s discharged notes. “The doctor suggests wearing loose clothing until the stitches come out.”**

**“And the bruising?” Ayame asked, rubbing her side gently.**

**“We have a large supple of ointment thanks to Heero always blowing himself up.” Trowa scoffed a laugh at the notion.**

**“I’ve never met Heero, but he sounds like a moron.”**

**Wufei smirks, “you’re not wrong.”**

**Duo is sitting on the steps bored and needing something to do when they pull up. Ayame forgoes the wheelchair and lets Duo help her step out with the assist of his arm. Heero comes around from the back with a toolbelt strapped around his waist.**

**“And this is our handy dandy Heero.” Duo introduced with a grin that reached both ears.**

**Heero nodded towards Ayame and then turned to Quatre, “the security systems been installed and upgraded.”**

**“But the system was fine this morning?” Quatre questioned, one brow rising.**

**Heero smirked, “sure it was.”**

**Duo took Ayame to a decent sized room with it’s own bathroom so she wouldn’t have to share with five boys. The walls were an off white with small pictures of flowers. The bed itself looked like it could fit four people and looked so soft you could sink right through it. Duo said something about clothes already being the dresser, but he has no idea what Quatre bought her.**

**The boys left her alone to settle into her room and the rest of the house. The first thing she did was take a shower, she smelled too clean and her skin felt dry and stiff. She rummaged through the clothes and was thankful Quatre got her a mix of jeans, sweatpants and sweaters. She did love her sweaters. Since they were brand new they were still baby soft on the inside.**

**When it came time for dinner Quatre escaped whatever it was Duo was making in the kitchen to fetch Ayame. He knocked and waited for an answer, but when Ayame’s voice didn’t call out he knocked again. “Ayame? Dinner is almost ready.”**

**He waited, but there was still no answer. He knocked once more with a hand on the knob. “Ayame, I’m coming in.”**

**Quatre opened the door to the room. It was dark except for light coming from the window where the curtains had been drawn back. He checked the bathroom just in case, but she wasn’t there either. Quatre quickly returned to the kitchen, alerting everyone that their new comrade was missing.**

**“This house is big, but it’s not that big. We can find her.” Duo said confidently whipping the towel off his shoulder.**

**Slowly, Wufei stood from the table after everyone had left. The food Duo was making suddenly smelled like smoke and when he looked at the hardware the little red light was on. Wufei sighed in defeat, “Maxwell. Turn off the stove.”**

**They split up, looking everywhere in, out and around the house. There was no way she could have slipped out. There were only two ways in and out of the house—the front door and back door through the kitchen. They would have seen or heard her leave through either of them. Wufei could hear Duo on the other side of the house with Heero, talking loudly about theories like Ayame sneaking out with one of Quatre’s jeep and went back to her camp. His other theory was just as stupid and it made absolutely no sense. The house wasn’t haunted. And it wasn’t abducting people. Duo was an idiot.**

**Wufei turned the corner to the backyard. It looked more like a jungle with all the flowers and tall plants with giant leaves. In the middle was a small pond with a few fish swaying in the water. There were four wooden benches surrounding it and on one of them was Ayame. She looked cleaner and refreshed in her new clothes. As Wufei approached her he noticed a fluffy black cat sitting in her lap, he could hear it purring as he moved closer. They were both being warmed by the sun and basked in the rays.**

**“There you are.” Wufei gently said, spooking Ayame and the cat. The cat leapt from her lap and gracefully landed on the ground. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”**

**“I wanted to go on walk.” Ayame pouted as the cat wandered away the closer Wufei got.**

**“You should have told us.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest.**

**Ayame scowled up at him, her pathetic pout long gone. “I wasn’t aware I needed your permission.”**

**“You’re recovering from being shot, surgery and major blood loss.” Wufei stated in a matter of fact way, like he was reciting a grocery list. Well, in their case, a weapons list.**

**“What’s your point?”**

**Wufei closed his eyes as he tilted his head to the side, opened them and stared at the ground. Considering her question and seeing no real intelligence behind it.**

**“You cannot be serious?” Wufei didn’t mean to yell, but he wasn’t about to take it back. “You’re hurt and—”**

**Ayame stood too fast, but she found her footing, “I’m recovering, I lost a lot of blood.” She mocked him with a dramatic eye-roll and hair toss.**

**Wufei was about to interject, but she cut him off.**

**“I have had many close calls and none of my men dotted on me or smothered me like you or the others.” She shouted and then raised her hands, reeling herself in. She placed a hand on Wufei’s shoulder, he considered stepping back, but realized that would have been rude.**

**“I appreciate everything you and everyone has done for me. But I’m used to taking care of myself.” Ayame tried to explain, but it was hard for her to speak about her emotions. She was used to everyone just following her orders and leaving her alone.**

**“I think I understand.” Wufei said thoughtfully.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: kidnapping, violence, sexual assault and adult language.
> 
> Word count: 3443
> 
> Author’s note: Please, please, please read the trigger warnings. There is a sexual assault scene and I don’t want to trigger anyone and hurt them. I’ll do a chapter summary of this chapter in chapter five. Please take care of yourselves first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Thank you for coming after me.” Ayame said and held out her wrist with the dangling cuff. “Could you get this off. It’s super annoying.”
> 
> Wufei searched around him for the key, thankfully finding it away from the dead body. He unlocked her last restraint, threw it in a random place and rubbed her wrists where it was raw and red. Wufei intently watched her and subconsciously reached for her face. She gasped at his touch and flinched away.

**“Has anyone seen Ayame?” Duo asked as he entered the kitchen. He was wearing his black leather pants, red shirt and black jacket. He flipped the tail end of his braid over his shoulder, showing off Heero’s handy work.**

**No one looked up from what they were doing: “No.”**

**When Duo groaned loudly and slumped against the counter, face flat on the lemon fresh surface.**

**Wufei rolled his eyes, “what do you want with her, Maxwell?” After Ayame had confined in him about needing space, Wufei took it upon himself to redirect Quatre and Duo when they became too smothering.**

**“She has a message from her lieutenant—well one of them, I don’t know which one. Something about their mission going well.” Duo grumbled, “also I was going to invite her to the shopping trip.”**

**Quatre’s ears perked at this, “I think that’s a great idea. She’s been cooped up for far too long.”**

**“She and I both.” Duo said under his breath, puffing his lips against the counter. “So, have you seen her Wu?”**

**Wufei raised his brows quizzically, “check the back.”**

**Duo did find Ayame in the backyard. Literally, she was climbing down from a tree when he cornered her. She refused his invitation, wanting to go inside to do more mission planning. Duo whined the entire time they walked back into the house. He draped himself over Quatre—telling on her. Quatre insisted she come along, that she needs to get out of the house. Ayame politely refused, giving Quatre the same excuse she gave Duo.**

**“Go with them, Ayame.” Heero said, halfway closing his laptop. “Your group already successfully completed their mission . We have nothing else going on and someone needs to make sure these two get everything on the list.”**

**“We do get everything on the list.” Quatre and Duo protested in unison.**

**Heero sighed, “let me rephrase…please make sure they don’t get anything that’s not _on_ the list.”**

**Ayame dipped her head back in a frustrated groan, “fiiiiine.”**

**That’s how Ayame ended up in town, carrying bags of food, ingredients and paper supplies to the car. The bags themselves weren’t heavy, but she had several up her arms and they digging into her skin. Duo ran off when he noticed the local café finally wasn’t busy. Ayame had fully recovered last week and was back to strength—so escorting their groceries to their vehicle was easy peasy.**

**Duo returned with smoothies and cookies for the three of them. “You’re lucky you came back with treats or else I’d have to kick your ass in public.” Ayame threatened, then taking a sip of her pink drink, glaring at him.**

**Before things could get out of hand, Quatre intervened, “we got everything off Heero’s list. We should walk around the Farmers Market.”**

**“Heero said no distractions and no buying anything extra.” Ayame warned robotically.**

**“I just want to check it out.” Quatre gave her big watery eyes and quivering lower lip.**

**Ayame stared at Quatre with an indifferent gaze, still sucking on her straw. “No.” She turned on one foot and headed towards the driver’s side.**

**“Oh c’mon Ayame, it wouldn’t hurt to get some fresh air.” Duo said sympathetically.**

**“He says forgetting we have cold items in the trunk.” Ayame said with one hand on the handle, then her eyes casted over towards the side mirror. She noticed four burly men watching them from the side of the building. They were all stoic and mean mugging them. Ayame walked around the car as discreetly as possible. She grabbed Quatre and Duo by their shoulders and pushed them down.**

**“We’re being followed. “Ayame whispered as they peeked through the glass. The men were slowly approaching them.**

**“What should we do?” Quatre asked.**

**“We can’t lead them back to the house.” Duo commented.**

**“They don’t look like Oz soldiers.” Ayame noted, taking in their unkept hair, random piercings and tattoos.**

**Quatre nodded, “split up?”**

**“I don’t know.” Ayame said nervously, “they may not look dangerous, but there is something about them that doesn’t feel right.”**

**Duo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, “don’t worry. We’ll be fine. See you back here in twenty.”**

**Before Ayame could argue this awful idea, the two walked off in different directions. Ayame sighed in defeat, stood to head towards a store—where the public was, where hopefully she wouldn’t be approached. She turned and bumped right into a hard chest that smelled heavily of stale cologne and cigarettes. The four men had a couple of feet on her and they were much bigger up close.**

**Twenty minutes later, Quatre and Duo arrived at the car at the same time. They waited for another ten before they grew concerned.**

**“Where is she?” Quatre strolled around the corner and felt a crunch underneath his shoe. Moving his foot away he found a necklace.**

**“What is it?” Duo asked as Quatre stretched down and picked up the trinket. He recognized the rusted metal chain and small ring dangling at the end, something so tiny and thin it looked like it belonged to a child.**

**“It…it’s Ayame’s.” Quatre stared over at Duo, his eyes tearing up with worry. “We need to call the others.”**

**A jeep screeched to a halt next to the van. Heero, Trowa and Wufei jumped out, joining Duo around the scene of the disappearance. Duo informed them that Quatre was going around to see if they saw what happened to Ayame.**

**“We separated when Ayame noticed we were being followed.” Duo explained.**

**“And she’s by herself?” Wufei questioned, a little irritated, but doesn’t understand why.**

**“That’s the definition of splitting up.” Duo sarcastically said.**

**“And she’s the only one who hasn’t returned.” Heero reiterated.**

**“You don’t think…” Trowa trailed off, slightly turning towards Heero.**

**“That she’s been caught? Yes, I do believe that.” Quatre replied.**

**Once more, they split up. Wufei wasn’t about to ask why Heero had pictures of Ayame already printed out. They did come in handy, however. Wufei was awful at describing people, he was better at names than faces. Wufei asked people who looked like they’ve been outside the longest enjoying their meals or tea.**

**He approached an elderly woman who was manning a vegetable and fruit stand. Pure white hair twisted up in a perfect bun with curly strands on either side of her head framing her small face. She was hunched over slightly, one hand on a cane to keep her balance. There was a small table beside her with a glass of what looked like lemonade in the center.**

**“Excuse me ma’am.” Wufei spoke gently, he bent down until his feet were flat on the dirt.**

**The elderly lady glanced up, the muscles in her shoulders and neck protesting. “How can I help you young man? Are you interested in my lovely vegetable garden?”**

**Wufei shook his head slowly, “no ma’am. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?”**

**The old woman smiled fondly, “how can I help you, dear?”**

**Wufei held out Ayame’s picture in between his fingers and gave it to the woman. He didn’t know how bad her eyesight was, even with her circular frames sitting on the bridge of her nose.**

**“Have you seen this girl? She’s been missing for almost an hour.” Wufei said, keeping his tone and volume controlled and calm. The last thing he wanted was to alarm the poor woman into a heart attack.**

**“Oh my, what a lovely girl.” The woman cooed and then smiled up at Wufei teasingly. “Is she your girlfriend?”**

**Wufei blushed at this, “n-no. She’s not. She’s a com—…she’s a friend.”**

**“Too bad, you two look so lovely together.” She handed the photo back to Wufei, “I do remember seeing her. She was a cute little thing. Such lovely long blonde hair.”**

**Wufei fought the urge to grab her by her frail looking shoulders, “do you remember where you saw her?”**

**She hummed as she thought, “…I saw her duck into that corner, right over there.” She points a bony finger to an alley that wasn’t far from their vehicles.**

**Wufei thanked the woman, gave her some money for her help and crossed the street. It was clean for a back alley, but it wasn’t surprising since the rest of the city was spotless. He took his time searching the small area. A few trash cans were tossed, which seemed odd and out of place. He reached the end of the alley, stepping in a puddle. Weird. It hasn’t rained for days. He looked down at the rainbow colored water. Oil. A car had been parked here, running, ready to go at moments noticed.**

**Wufei pulled out a small radio, “I found a clue. Rendezvous at the alley across the vegetable stand.”**

**Wufei watched as the other and scoured the alley and then coming to the same conclusion as he did. Everyone agreed Heero and Duo should go home, hack into the city’s street cameras while the others: Wufei, Trowa and Quatre continued to search on foot. Smartly, Heero and Duo took the van that had the food in the back. While Duo quickly put the food away Heero booted up the team’s computers.**

**Duo joined him and immediately the two began to comb through the hours of footage.**

**“Oh no.” Duo softly said.**

**Heero zipped himself over in his chair, “what did you find?”**

**Duo played the video from three different points of view. One was Ayame being cornered by grotesque looking men after Quatre and Duo split. A pang of guilt pumped the blood in Duo’s system. Quatre is going to be kicking himself in the ass for a while. The next shot showed Ayame doing a front flip, but because the van was in the way, the two pilots could only conclude she flipped over their heads to avoid capture.**

**“She’s agile.” Heero said, impressed. The final shot was Ayame running away into the alley where they were. “Can you find another angle?”**

**“Working on it.” Duo began scanning as soon as the screen went black. “I think I found something.”**

**Duo pulled up a fourth camera, it shot over the entire length of the alley. Ayame stopped short of an unmarked black van. The windows were tinted too dark to be legal and from the looks of it, there were no side doors. Just the back, the driver’s side and the passenger’s side. The four who approached her cut off her exit. More men poured out of the back of the ominous vehicle and completely surrounded her.**

**“They…they overpowered her.” Duo said in disbelief, watching as Ayame put up a good fight, but was eventually knocked to the ground. A man got on top of her, grabbed her by the temples and slammed her head against the ground.**

**Duo winced, “literally overpowered her.”**

**“Follow the van.” Heero softly ordered, “we can give the others a heading once we figure out where it stops.”**

**Heero helped, finding the van heading out of town. Duo joined him at his side, writing down the street’s names.**

**“Where are they going?” Duo asked as he crossed off another street and it’s intersection.**

**Finally, the van pulled into the house and judging by the other pilots location. Wufei was closest. Heero adjusted his head set into a radio frequency and contacted their Nataku pilot.**

**“Wufei, come in, we found Ayame.” Heero said, “sending Quatre and Trowa to your location to provide back up.”**

**“Roger.” Wufei responded and began to follow Duo’s directions to the house.**

**Wufei arrives at the house. Although, calling it a house was a compliment. The panels on the exterior of the house was either chipped or falling off. The shutters were rotting, the front porch had holes and missing planks. The yard was littered with garbage and car parts. Why is it always car parts?**

**Men, probably the ones Duo mentioned, stood by the front door. They weren’t guarding the beat up house. They were smoking, drinking and trading stories—hanging out. Wufei was able to sneak up on the them with ease and took them out before they knew what hit them. He paused and waited to hear from inside the house. There was movement no immediate or curious voices. It was clear to go in.**

**As soon as Wufei opened the door he wanted to immediately shut it and leave it to Ayame to rescue herself. The house smelled like piss and shit. Mattresses were spread around each room, they were stained and ripped. The walls, Wufei lurched forward, covering his mouth with his hand. The walls were just as bad as the mattress, graffiti, he couldn’t tell if it was mold or feces. He didn’t know which one was worse, he hoped it wasn’t either.**

**He tip-toed around the floor, avoiding the miscellaneous stains and objects that looked like it would hurt if he had stepped on them. There was trash can at the end of the room, Wufei chuckled at the irony. He didn’t know why he peered inside and was about to shake it off until something caught his eye. His stomach tortured him, turning with disgust and he felt like he was going to be sick all over again. It was a waste basket of used condoms. Wufei came to the realization what this house was.**

**Forgoing his concerns and being careful not to be heard, he charged through the rest of the house. Climbing the stairs two steps at a time, there were a few men, but taking them out wasn’t difficult. They were caught off guard and put his many years of training on autopilot. He had to catch his breath after the last guy, to center is body. The adrenaline proving to be too much was too much, his legs were beginning to feel shaky and they ached.**

**A scream. A high pitch, ear curdling scream. It made the hairs on his neck stand at attention. He ran towards the last room, crashing through the door. They didn’t register him in the room. Either because Ayame drowned out the disturbance or because they just didn’t care. But Wufei was able to take everything in. Ayame’s wrist were chained to a bed, there were men on either side of her pinning her legs down and a there was a man on top of her. He had his knees spread out to keep Ayame from attacking him with her own legs. Wufei could see them straining against the man, she wanted to fight back so much.**

**The top man was sliding his belt off and wrapping it around her throat, when Wufei’s brain triggered him to attack. Wufei roared, finally he was seen, the two men holding her down released Ayame’s leg out of shock. She was able to maneuver her leg to kick him off her in his chest. Wufei was able to take the three out easily and begin searching for the keys to Ayame’s cuffs. The sounds of her sobbing was distracting though. He hoped he got here in time before anything worse happened.**

**“Breathe Ayame, breathe.” He told her softly, just as he finds the key.**

**“Wufei!”**

**He whipped his head in her direction just as he was tackled to the ground. Ayame wiggles both of her wrists around as Wufei and one of her kidnappers roll around on the ground. Grunts and curses filled the room, Ayame focused on freeing one hand, scraping skin as she forced it free. She turned towards the head of the bed, her legs on the rail and she pushed against the railing and pulled at the other cuff. The chain broke and she fell off the bed with a thud.**

**She gets to her feet just as her capture knocks Wufei out with a punch to his face. He pulls a gun from underneath his shirt, cocks it and places the barrel in the middle of Wufei’s forehead. Ayame grabs the closest long thing she sees, approaches the man.**

**“Hey fucker.” Ayame says and swings just as he looks over his shoulder.**

**“Wufei. Wufei!” Ayame shook Wufei, his head lobbing from side to side. She groaned in frustration, wincing as she slapped him in the face.**

**He immediately woke, eyes bulging open. He sat up and grabbed her wrist, the one covered in blood from tugging her hand free of a handcuff. He released her when he felt the sticky liquid and then apologized. Ayame helped him to his feet, touched his cheek.**

**“Are you alright?” She observed his face as he spoke.**

**“I should be asking you that. You look like hell.” Wufei replied.**

**It didn’t appear anything in his face was broken, there was a nasty bruise beginning to form around his eye and the corner of his mouth.**

**“Considering what just happened.” Ayame said softly.**

**Wufei looked away awkwardly, “right. I’m…I’m sorry.”**

**“I’ll live.” Ayame pointed at the unconscious man on the floor, “but he won’t.”**

**Wufei’s eyes widen. He wasn’t breathing and there was a large pool of blood around his head. “He’s dead?”**

**“What was I supposed to do? Let him shoot you in the head?” Ayame sarcastically asked.**

**“I suppose not.” Wufei glanced at her a few times, “thank you.”**

**“Thank you for coming after me.” Ayame said and held out her wrist with the dangling cuff. “Could you get this off. It’s super annoying.”**

**Wufei searched around him for the key, thankfully finding it away from the dead body. He unlocked her last restraint, threw it in a random place and rubbed her wrists where it was raw and red. Wufei intently watched her and subconsciously reached for her face. She gasped at his touch and flinched away.**

**“Sorry.” Wufei withdrew his hand quickly and awkwardly turned away from her.**

**“We should go before anyone else arrives.” Ayame said, lightly kicking the dead guy in the leg.**

**“Wait, we can’t just leave this place. It’s a trafficking house.” Wufei argued, “they’ll just keep bringing girls back here.”**

**“I didn’t say we’d be leaving without leaving some payback.” Ayame smiled at him playfully and Wufei didn’t know if he should feel excited or afraid.**

**Quatre stopped the car abruptly, jerking Trowa in his seat when the seatbelt caught him. He was about to ask what was wrong when Quatre pointed out the window. Trowa attempted to follow his finger, but then Wufei and Ayame appeared out of the shadows. They jumped out when they realized they were covered in blood and bruises.**

**After getting in the car Wufei recounted what had transpired. Trowa was in the back seat with Ayame, looking over her injuries. She swore to him that she was fine, but the Heavyarms pilot assumed she hasn’t seen herself in the mirror. Wufei peered over his shoulders and saw why Trowa was making a fuss. Bruises he hadn’t noticed before had begun blooming and they were in the shape of hand prints.**

**Duo cried when he saw Ayame. He hugged her rightly and apologized repeatably and loudly. Heero grabbed him by the end of his braid and reminded him that she was hurt. He apologized again when he released her. After a shower, Wufei and Ayame were in the living room with the others. Trowa and Duo were patching them up when Quatre gasped loudly.**

**“What?” Duo asked, panicking a little. He’s been on edge ever since Ayame went missing. Heero considered knocking him out so he would stop pacing and biting his nails.**

**“The news, look.” Quatre turned the volume up so everyone could hear.**

**The lady on the news with the perfectly styled hair and make-up had just turned to the camera to the right with a stern glare:**

**“Earlier today firefighters were called to an abandon house fire on Elm and Allura. Upon further investigation it would appear the house was a sex trafficking ring where our mothers, sisters, daughters and neighbors have been disappearing to. The culprits responsible were found unconscious inside suffering from minor burns and smoke inhalation. One was reported to be dead. The chief of police said they would be looking into and ask the…”**

**Quatre muted the television, his mouth hanging wide open. Everyone turned gawked at Wufei and Ayame.**

**“What exactly did you two do?” Quatre asked, he was more surprised than mad, but there was still an edge to his voice.**

**“Delivered some justice.” Ayame replied, her innocent tone three octaves higher.**

**“Ayame also killed a guy with a metal bed post.” Wufei added nonchantly.**

**Duo leaned away from Ayame, staring her up and down, “Jesus fuck you are terrifying.”**


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is picking up on the weird vibes Wufei is sending out. Ayame gets mad and tries to Hulk smash her way into Wufei's room to get answers. There's plotting amongst the other pilots and a shed is involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: language, mentions rape/sexual assault and avoiding trauma.  
> Word count: 4,228  
> Author’s note: If you read my trigger warnings from the last chapter and you skipped the chapter entirely (which thank you for taking care of yourselves) here is a recap of chapter four:  
> Heero insists Ayame goes shopping with Quatre and Duo to make sure they don’t get anything extra that’s not on their list. When they’re loading up the car Ayame notices they’re being followed, Quatre and Duo want to split up and before she can protest they do. Ayame ends up getting caught and Quatre deduces this when they show up at the car after twenty minutes. The others show up to help search for her and Wufei gets a big from a sweet old lady.  
> Heero and Duo go back to the house, hack into the city’s street cameras and tell Wufei where Ayame is being held. He’s told to wait for back up, but Wufei doesn’t, go figure. Regretting walking into the house because it is absolutely disgusting, Wufei hears Ayame scream and takes out everyone that’s in his way. Its like three people. In the room Ayame is chained to the bed, one man is on top of her, two are holding her legs down. Wufei gets there before anything has happened.  
> Ayame screams as Wufei is searching for handcuff keys and then he’s tackled to the ground. Ayame frees one hand, which ow, she’s able to free her other hand by pulling the bed post off. She falls off the bed in the process, haha, and then knocks the guy in the head before he can shoot Wufei in the head. He dies. Before Ayame and Wufei leave the house they set it on fire, not wanting to burn it to the ground, just to get the attention of the authorities so they can arrest everyone and hopefully find the real trafficking ring and shut it down. Yay justice!  
> That’s pretty much it.
> 
> I held a poll for this chapter on my twitter account and here were the options:  
> A) Ayame was sexually assaulted before Wufei could get to her. 40%  
> B) Ayame wasn’t sexually assaulted. At all. 60% WINNER  
> Please enjoy chapter 5~!

**It took a while for Ayame and the others to notice, but Wufei was never in the same room with Ayame. When she walked in and it didn’t involve mission planning, Wufei would walk out. Most of the time, none of them noticed when he would excuse himself. He was light on his feet as if he were a ghost. He made no noise of frustration or even sneezed. Other times when Ayame entered a room, Wufei would avoid eye contact and in extreme cases, he would leave. It was clear to everyone after a week and a half after the kidnapping fiasco, Wufei was avoiding Ayame.**

**She didn’t appear to be effected by Wufei’s behavior and if she was she kept to herself. The others still wanted to know why, for the sake of their future missions. Which wasn’t clear. Wufei wasn’t the easiest person to get to open up, he was worse than Heero most of the time. Duo suggested they get him drunk, drunk people always told the truth. That plan, however, was immediately shot down by Quatre. Trowa took one look at Ayame and her bruises. They were discolored, but more yellow and slightly green than dark purple and red.**

**“Maybe it _is_ Ayame.” Trowa said, earning himself quizzical glances at the large kitchen table. Then they turned their eyes on Ayame, even she looked down at herself. **

**“Alright, I give up. What did I do now?” Ayame asked.**

**Trowa quickly corrected himself. “It’s nothing you personally did.”**

**“Well then I’m more confused.” Duo huffed in irritation.**

**Silently, Heero slipped out of his chair and when he passed by Ayame he placed a hand on her shoulder. She glanced up at him, catching the calm in his cerulean eyes and the determination set in his jaw. He disappeared through the dining room, then the living room, and soon everyone heard the steps creak above them.**

**“Okay what in the fuck was that?” Ayame asked, looked at Duo.**

**Duo shrugged, “I have no fucking clue.”**

**Quatre sighed. He had given up on correcting their usage of foul language. He had gotten Duo to stop using it so much, but once Ayame joined there was no hope. Ayame was worse than Duo at times, almost every other word was a curse. Trowa patted his shoulder sympathetically.**

**Heero stops in front of Wufei’s door. He mentally assessed how he should approach the issue. Take the long way around? Short and sweet? Or should he just rip the band-aide off and just go for it? Which one would Wufei appreciate? Probably the one that gets to the point across the quickest way. Heero knocked on the door, the noise echoing down the hall. He could hear everyone talking downstairs, hopefully that will encourage Wufei to open the door.**

**Heero doesn’t realize how long he’s been standing in front of Wufei’s door until Duo’s obnoxious laughter ripped through the house. He knocks again and mentally counts to ten. Wufei doesn’t answer, not even vocally. Heero puts an ear to the wood and listens for any sign of movement. No sound. Was he asleep? Heero shakes his head, when he was passing through the living room he glanced at the clock. It was almost six. Wufei wouldn’t be going to bed this early.**

**He knocked one more time but decided to say something this time. “Wufei? Your food is getting cold, you should come down to eat it.”**

**He chewed on his lip and then decided to add, “Ayame is in the shower.”**

**He heard movement in Wufei’s room, seconds later the door opened. Heero stepped back to let Wufei out, but then Ayame could be heard laughing from underneath them. Heero couldn’t hold back his groan and then caught the glare coming off Wufei’s eyes. He was about to slip back into his room, but Heero caught him by his wrist.**

**“Listen, we don’t know what’s going on between you and Ayame. She doesn’t even know, but this needs to get settled.” Heero said and then released Wufei to his room.**

**Duo and Ayame quieted down when Heero reentered the dining room.**

**“Anything?” Quatre asked, he was going around the table collecting their finished plates. Wufei’s plate had been wrapped with foil to keep it fresh for him to eat later.**

**Heero decided not to tell them how he almost came out, but then heard Ayame. He shook his head, “no.”**

**Duo flopped back in his chair, “this is getting ridiculous.”**

**“I don’t know what else to do.” Quatre said, his eyes down casting. His hand was lingering on a cap, it was like he had lost the strength to lift it. “I’ve tried everything, but he won’t talk to me.”**

**“I’m surprised you can talk to him. He scares me when he’s all broody.” Duo said, shivering in his chair.**

**“I wouldn’t say he brushed me off, but he ignored me.” Trowa said over his teacup.**

**“Trow, that’s exactly what ‘brushed off’ means.” Duo said, shrugging.**

**“Oh.” He stood with his dishes and moved into the kitchen.**

**Ayame stood by Heero’s side, “did he talk to you at all?”**

**Heero leaned forward and whispered in Ayame’s ear, “he came out when I told him you were taking a shower. Then he heard you laugh and went back in.”**

**“Are you fucking kidding me?” Ayame shouted, making Heero wince at the sudden loudness. Trowa and Quatre poked their heads out of the kitchen just in time to see her stomp out of the dining room.**

**The eyes of Quatre, Trowa and Heero landed on Duo who had not moved from his chair. He threw a hand up in a stopping motion, “I’m not getting in between them. Let them sort this out.”**

**Ayame is a cloud of huffing annoyance and pissed off energy by the time she reached Wufei’s door. She doesn’t bother knocking because clearly coddling him wasn’t working. Tough love is what Wufei needed. He needed to beaten with a meat tenderizer, seasoned to perfection and then tossed in a food processor.**

**She raised her voice, foregoing banging on his door, “Wufei!” She waited, but not for a long time, “Wufei! Stop hiding you coward!”**

**Everyone thought that would have worked. Calling him weak or a coward definitely boiled his blood. He’d go out of his way to prove he was the opposite, it never failed to entertain everyone. However, the door remained closed.**

**Tilting her head to the side and took in a sharp deep breath. She side-eyed her room and remembered her lock picking kit was inside her nightstand. She quickly went to her room, found the case where she put it and took the tools she needed out harshly. Rushing back to his door, she made quick work of the lock and once she heard the mechanism click she threw open the door and slammed it with just as much ferocity.**

**“Well.” Duo said, standing up, pushing his upper body up with his hands on his knees. “Where’s the shovel? I’m gonna start digging Wufei’s grave.”**

**Wufei was sitting in the middle of his bed. He wasn’t mediating and he wasn’t asleep. Ayame would have been impressed and less angry if he was but having him unblinking towards her just made her want to scream. She’s never had to deal with this. She was used to her men coming to her when they were upset with anyone or the mission. She was used to the openness. Ayame didn’t like it when anyone withheld anything from her. Even anger.**

**Her legs parted into a power stance, her hands went to the dip of her hips and her shoulders squared themselves with her lower half. She peered down at him with seething flames electrocuting her eyes. “You want to tell me why you’re acting like a douche?”**

**Wufei doesn’t say anything and he doesn’t move. His face is empty, devoid of any emotions. Wufei tried with all his might to look through her, but there was something about Ayame that stopped him from doing so. She was a cement wall sandwiched with two platinum layers. She was shiny and perfect, but also indestructible.**

**“Seriously Wufei? What the hell did I do?” Ayame asked, her voice cracked along with her façade. Her hands dropped to her sides and her shoulders sagged.**

**Wufei remains silent, except this time, however, a pang of guilt crosses his eyes. He couldn’t stop himself from looking away. He felt so many things all at once. Frustration, shame, embarrassed, exposed, nervous, but also longing.**

**“You know what, fine, I give up.” Ayame threw her hands up in defeat. She can’t stand the silence that engulfed the room. She turns to the door but gazes over her shoulder towards Wufei. He’s still looking away from her, still looking dismayed.**

**“Ok, now this is awkward.” Duo said three days later. He sat in-between Trowa and Ayame’s empty chair. Wufei wasn’t in the room yet and Duo needed to take advantage of that. “It’s weird right? Now Ayame is avoiding him.”**

**“Not just him.” Trowa added, “she’s avoiding all of us.”**

**“Oh, so it’s not just me. Glad to see we’re in the same boat.” Duo smiled sheepishly.**

**“I’ve never seen her act like this before.” Quatre placed food in the middle of the table as a free for all. Out of all of them, Ayame and Quatre have known each other the longest, their groups have worked together for years. Quelling any trouble that stupidly made their way into their territories.**

**“We’ve never seen Wufei act like this before either.” Duo chimed, “sure, he’s always been broody and kept to himself. But he’s never avoided us…well you guys. He’s avoided me before, but I’m a different case.”**

**Heero was about to drink the black bean juice, but then he was shocked when he heard Duo, “oh. So you _are_ aware you annoy Wufei?”**

**“Of course I am!” Duo announced, grinning from ear to ear.**

**Quatre paused passing out meal, “then…then why do you continue to do so?”**

**Duo cupped his hands behind his head and leaned back in the chair, “because it’s fun.”**

**Before anyone in the small group could argue with him Wufei turned the corner into the room.**

**“Oh, good morning.” Quatre merrily greeted.**

**Wufei nodded his head in return, he was about to ask for the tea, but there was a cup already brewing in front of him. “Thank you.”**

**The rest of the morning carried on in forced conversation. They steered clear about talking about Ayame and the fight they must’ve had three days ago. Every once in a while, however, Trowa would see Wufei observing Ayame’s chair. Was he worried? She hasn’t been eating with them for three days now. She either ate in her room or outside. She loved soaking up the sun. Everyone could hear her at night. Her nightmares. Some nights were better than others and it was usually Quatre or Duo going in to calm her down. On a rare occasion Heero went in to comfort her.**

**They’ve gotten worse since her kidnapping. She told them repeatable nothing had happened. That Wufei _did_ , in fact, get there in time before anything worse could happen. Quatre attempted to get her to open up about it because what she went through was a trauma. She didn’t refuse to not talk about it, it clearly bothered her, but not in the same way it bothered everyone else. That confused everyone.**

**Everyone, but Heero that is. Heero explained, to the best of his abilities, that it bothered her because she should have seen a way out. With her skill set she shouldn’t have been easily taken. She may not be as strong as Heero or Wufei, but she was, however, above average stronger for her sex. Heero wasn’t going to tell her about the exit she could have taken was right about her head. The fire escape. She could have easily jumped to the ladder and quickly scaled it before the bad guys could even process what was happening.**

**It was around lunch time when Duo left his and Heero’s room. He happened to look at Ayame’s door that was cracked. He was one step pass her door, when he doubled back and hid by the wall, but could still see inside her room. On the foot of the bed was a ratty old bag, Ayame was going back and forth putting clothes inside. He choked on a curse and then thudded down the stairs and came skidding to a halt in the dining room.**

**“Ayame is leaving.” He whispered out hurriedly just in case Wufei or Ayame were behind him.**

**Quatre almost let the coffee pot slip out of his hands, but Trowa grabbed it and gingerly placed it on the table. “She’s what?”**

**“Leaving.” Duo repeated, checking over his shoulder.**

**“You must be seeing things Duo.” Heero said unemotionally. Her leaving wouldn’t put a wrench in their plans, whatever they were, but it did slightly alarm him. He liked her. She was efficient and she could wrangle Duo better than any of them.**

**Quatre inhaled and exhaled evenly, “what exactly did you see Duo?”**

**“Ayame was in her room and she was putting clothes inside that beat up nasty bag she brought with her.” Duo replied quickly. “She’s leaving.”**

**“No, no. There’s no way she’s just going to leave.” Quatre quickly went around the table, heading out towards the rooms upstairs.**

**“Quatre!” Trowa didn’t mean to yell, but it was the only way to get the blonde pilot to stop in his track. Heero was on in his feet to stop him too, but he paused when Trowa raised his voice. Trowa pulled out Quatre chair, wanting him to sit before he did anything drastic. “Confronting Ayame about her leaving might not be the smartest idea. Especially if she isn’t leaving.”**

**“But her bag—”**

**Trowa cut Duo off, “another bag came for Ayame yesterday. She’s probably just _unpacking_ it. Duo, please, sit.” **

**Duo did sit, he pouted the whole way down with his arms crossed over his chest, but he still sat. Heero and Trowa took their seats when they were sure their partners wouldn’t bolt up the stairs.**

**Trowa was the first to speak once everyone appeared to be calm and collected. “Whatever is going on between Wufei and Ayame needs to stop.”**

**“Agreed.” Heero said, nodding.**

**“What can we do when they refuse to be in the same room together.” Quatre said, whining a little.**

**Heero’s head snapped up, “then we make them be in the same room with together.”**

**“You’ve lost me babe.” Duo said frankly, “how do we get them in a room together, in this house, when they could just run off?”**

**Heero’s eyes casted over Trowa’s head to the backyard. Trowa rotated in his chair while the others just turned their heads to see what Heero was seeing. Their mouths gawked open at the same time, but it was Quatre who spoke first.**

**“You evil fucking genius.”**

**“Language, Quat.” Duo said in quiet amazement.**

**By early evening they had their plan figured out. Quatre felt uneasy about it for many reasons. The number one reason was either Wufei or Ayame coming out physically hurt and that seesaw was weighing more towards Wufei. Since he doesn’t fight women and Ayame would take full advantage of that. And also because he was Quatre and he always felt bad for lying or tricking his friends.**

**The koi pond needed cleaning before he could add a couple more fish to it. Talking Wufei into going to the shed to get the water skimmer was surprisingly easy. Of course the light wasn’t working so Wufei had to stand close to everything to get the right thing. He was towards the back when he heard someone else walk in.**

**“I haven’t found it Quatre.” He announced.**

**“Quatre?”**

**Wufei jumped forward a little, almost losing his balance, at the sound of Ayame’s voice. He turned around, red face and feeling a nervous warmth in his stomach. She was gawking down at him with wide curious eyes and her mouth was slightly parted. Before either of them could bolt for the door or ask why they were in there the door shut behind Ayame with a bang.**

**Wufei cemented himself in place while Ayame charged the door, trying to kick it open, but it didn’t budge. The force from her kick rattled the loose objects and a few of the shelves that weren’t secured. When frustration sat in, Ayame stopped. She grabbed a wooden crate out of the corner and placed it at the bottom of the door. Stepping on it to get the height she needed to see out the window of the door.**

**“What the hell? Heero, Trowa, let us out!” Ayame shouted disapprovingly. Wufei winced at her piercing loudness.**

**Wufei heard Heero’s voice pour through the window, “not until you two figure out what’s going on between the both of you.”**

**“What the—who the fuck came up with this parent trap bullshit? Let us out!” Ayame screamed, the side of her fist hitting the wall.**

**Wufei sat down, realizing they were going to be in here for a while. She kept trying to kick the door out and stuck her arm through the opening to unlock the latch, but she was too short to reach it. Ayame finally realized there wasn’t a latch to unlock, it was a giant and heavy plank of wood across the door that was locking them. She groaned loudly in frustration, banging her forehead against the wooden bars.**

**“Son of a—” Ayame finally gave up, hopped down from her crate and slid down the barrier. “I knew it was weird Duo was watering the flower at night.”**

**Wufei couldn’t hold back his short laugh through his nose.**

**“And why are you here?” Ayame barked at him.**

**Wufei immediately stopped and looked away from her.**

**“That’s what I thought.”**

**Ayame thudded the back of her head against the wall for the fourth time in, what Wufei guessed, fifteen minutes. They were at opposite ends of the shed, but the structure wasn’t big. It was a decent size, but it was small enough to make the two feel like they were sitting next to each other.**

**He couldn’t help it when his eyes deviated to Ayame’s body. It was abnormal to see her not wearing a sweater. She had more bruises than he first realized, they were lightly discolored like the ones that were around her throat, wrists and ankles. But they were still there, reminding him. His bruise on his face was the same color as hers, but that wasn’t a problem for him. He was used to seeing them on his person from training or from a fight.**

**“What are you staring at?” Ayame asked, her voice was soft and low.**

**“Nothing.” Wufei replied, matching her tone.**

**“He speaks. Amazing.” Ayame rolled her eyes. She bent her knees and rested her arms on either of them. One ankle had the same dark ring around it like her wrists. Was one of them cuffed to the bed? He couldn’t remember.**

**They fall silent again. The night getting darker and bringing out the nocturnal animals to life around them. Ayame loved hearing the crickets and owls outside her window, they reminded her of her camp. They put her to sleep every night, she slept harder when it rained.**

**“Why have you been avoiding me?” She asked unexpectedly.**

**“I haven’t been avoiding you.” Wufei replied sadly.**

**“Tell that lame ass excuse why we’re here.” She bit.**

**Wufei cringed, “I’m sorry. I thought you might want space after everything you’ve been through.” That answer wasn’t any better, but it was all he could come up with on short notice.**

**Ayame hissed underneath her breath, “all I’ve been through.” She paused. “I already told you and everyone that I wasn’t raped. _You got there before anything happened_. You save me.”**

**Wufei couldn’t swallow that. He stood and approached her rapidly, Ayame stood, using the wall to support her accent. He grabbed her wrist that was still wrapped up. The one where she tore skin off in order to free it first. He shook it in front of her, his black eyes sparked with anger, “this is still trauma Ayame.**

**He pointed at her neck, “this still affects you.’**

**Ayame goes unreadable, her spine straightened and her shoulders squared up, her eyes cold and absolute. “My entire life has been one trauma after another. I’ve learned ways to cope when they’re thrown at me.”**

**“Well I haven’t!” Wufei shouted, the sharp frustration in his tone making her shiver. She grimaces as the grip he has around her wrist tightens, she can feel the wound underneath the bandage begin to crack. She was stunned by Wufei’s angry and defeated outburst and, frankly, so was Wufei. His narrowed eyes widen to the sudden realization what he just said and then they softened. Surrendering to the exposed and tenderness. Releasing her wrist was motionless, his fingers gliding over her palm until their fingers hooked together.**

**Ayame swallowed the lump she hadn’t known had formed and then whispered, “is that’s what going on? You’re avoiding me to avoid what happened?”**

**Wufei ducks his head, almost on Ayame’s shoulder.**

**Ayame released a sigh that came out as a short breathy laugh, “you’re an idiot.”**

**She reaches up with her free hand then gently skims along Wufei’s cheek, she tilts it up slightly so they meet. Her eyes are half lidded and a deep blue he’s never seen before. They looked endlessly deep and drowning.**

**“Avoiding what happened won’t make anything better. Avoiding me doesn’t help anyone, especially me.”**

**“How do you do it? How do you face it?” Wufei asked, voice trembling. He hated how he sounded so weak and desperate. He felt a hot lump formed in the base of his throat and tears threatened to brim his eyes.**

**Wufei isn’t sure because it’s darker inside the shed than outside, but he thinks Ayame is blushing. She peering down now, eyes darting back and forth, avoiding his gaze now. “Knowing you’re around…it helps. I think more than you know.”**

**“You also saved me.” Wufei murmurs, the heat from his voice too close her ears. She feels her cheeks getting hotter and an excited shiver itched up her spine.**

**“Alright we’re both badasses.” Ayame finds the courage to say without tripping over her words. “Seriously Wufei, running away from this won’t help you. You have to do whatever makes you comfortable to help you through this.”**

**“What do you do?” He’s backed away and Ayame would be amiss if she didn’t admit that hurt like an anvil falling straight through her.**

**“Shooting range.” She quickly says when she realizes she’s taken too long to reply. “And also bashing that guy’s head in and setting the house on fire helped.”**

**Wufei chuckles, his eyes closing in little crescents. It was genuine, something Ayame has never seen before and it sends her stomach into a frenzy. “You are truly something.”**

**She half rolled her eyes and smirked, “something twisted.”**

**“You’re not wrong.” Wufei realizes he’s still holding her hand and he’s slow to let go. He catches her eyes and they stare into each other. Ayame is noticing how close they are and wonders if Wufei does too. She blinks in disbelief because did Wufei tilt his head a little just now? Did his eyes halfway close, watching her lips as he moves closer?**

**“Are you guys alive in there?” Duo shouts from out of nowhere.**

**Ayame and Wufei both jump, almost bumping their heads together. They take their hands off each other and Wufei steps back. He rubs the hand that was holding hers against his pants, but Ayame didn’t. She loved the warmth from his hand tingling her skin.**

**“We’re alive. Let us out.” Wufei demanded.**

**Duo repeated his orders, “Heero said not to unless you guys worked things out.”**

**“Yes Duo, we’ve worked things out. Please open the door, I really need to use the bathroom.” Ayame replied. She wasn’t lying. She needed to go to the bathroom before Duo tricked her into the shed.**

**“Alright, but you have to promise you won’t attack me.” Duo said childishly. He was already moving closer to the shed to lift the large piece of wood out of place.**

**“I promise Maxwell.” Wufei called out, shifting his weight to one side and crossing his arms over each other.**

**Duo opens the door before he hears Ayame’s answer. Wufei watches Duo’s happy expression morph into pure horror as Ayame approaches the opening, fists opening and closing, the moonlight illuminating what he could only guess if a demonic expression. Duo turns to bolt when Ayame lunges at him.**

**“You promised!” Duo cries into the night.**

**“Wufei promised, but I didn’t!” Ayame shouted.**

**Heero, Quatre and Trowa were at the window when they heard Duo scream and just in time to watch Ayame go after them. Wufei approached the window with a cocky smile.**

**“Di-did everything work out?” Quatre asked, happy he was inside where Wufei couldn’t reach him.**

**“Yes, they did.” Wufei replied, dropping his smile, “never do that again.”**

**Quatre shrunk behind Trowa, “I promise.”**


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: child hostages and foul language.
> 
> Word count: 3,596
> 
> Author’s note: this chapter’s poll was if it should be a time skip 25% of you said yes and 75% of you said no. So no time skip. Thank god. 
> 
> I have finally figured out where I’m going with this story! It’s funny that it came to me while I was in the shower. Can you guys do me a favor and let me know if I’m slow burning Wufei and Ayame right. I feel like I’m not. Having feedback will help me figure out what’s lacking and what isn’t. Pretty please. As a birthday present?

**If the air around the house wasn’t awkward before it was definitely awkward now. Wufei and Ayame could be in the same room together without wanting to kill each other. They would still argue and bicker until the house walls shook. Except everyone, especially Quatre, picked up on her nervous and twitchy energy whenever Wufei first entered the room or spoke.**

**“Man what the hell, I thought they worked things out.” Duo groaned, lazily sliding down the couch.**

**Heero raised his head from his laptop in Duo’s direction, “what are you talking about?”**

**Duo sighed annoyingly, “never mind. I don’t think I can explain it right.”**

**“Are you talking about how Ayame seems itchy around Wufei?” Heero asked.**

**“Itchy? I guess that’s a good way to describe it. She’s on edge because of something.” Duo stared up at the ceiling, really looking at nothing. His face screwed together in contemplation.**

**Heero leaned back in the plush chair and turned his attention back to his report. “Stay out of it Duo.”**

**“What? Why?” Duo shouted, sitting up on his elbows.**

**“It’s not our business.”**

**“But—”**

**Heero glared at him, “Stay out of it.”**

**Wufei and Ayame were outside tinkering around in the jeep. Just to keep themselves busy and sane while they waited for a mission. Heero said it could be any day now, but with that anticipation hanging over them they couldn’t sit still. Not even Quatre. It’s been almost four months since they’ve had anything real. Wufei reached over to grab a tool and their hands brushed against each other. He felt electricity course through his hand and the warmth from Ayame’s went directly to his stomach. Ayame took her hand away quickly and she brought it to her chest—rubbing it with her other hand.**

**“Is something wrong?” Wufei asked, watching the blush creep into her cheeks.**

**“N-no. Your hand was just cold.” Ayame answered weakly. Wufei narrowed his eyes in skepticism. His hands weren’t cold, they’ve been working in the sun for almost thirty minutes. Ayame busied herself to dodge his soft gaze. The others weren’t the only ones who were aware of Ayame’s behavior. He thought they climbed over this mountain when they were tricked and trapped in the shed. He figured they should clear the air before the others schemed up another plan into a inescapable room.**

**“Ayame we should—”**

**“Ayame!” Quatre called from the back door, drawing both of their attentions to the bright spot that is their comrade. “Heero needs to see you.”**

**Wufei and Ayame shared a perplexed glance between them, closed the hood to the jeep and walked inside the house. Ayame held the door open for Wufei since his hands were the ones covered in grime. Heero was at the head of the table with his laptop wide open, everyone else was sitting around the table waiting on them as they cleaned up in the kitchen.**

**Ayame was the first to enter and she looked frazzled. “What’s going on?” She pulled the chair out next to Heero and scrambled to sit. Heero raised a brow when Wufei came up from behind her and just stood. Maybe Duo was on to something.**

**“You’re needed back at your camp.” Heero replied stoically. Ayame’s stomach dropped and her mind immediately went to the worst possible scenarios. Were they attacked? How many of them died? Were some captured? If so, where would they be held? Oz wouldn’t hurt the children, would they? Would they make an example out of them?**

**Ayame cleared her throat and steadied her tone and breathing. “What happened? You said their last mission went fine.”**

**“The contact didn’t say. They just requested your return.” Heero replied. “I’m not sure how long we’ll be away but pack a few things just in case.”**

**Fortune favors the prepared. Ayame has had a to-go bag ready just in case something like this happened or if Oz somehow found where they were hiding. She had disappeared up the stairs and returned in a matter of minutes. Duo did a double take when he saw her place the same ratty bag next to the door. He mentally chastised himself for thinking she was leaving a few days. She really did need a new bag though, it looked ready to fall apart.**

**“Where’s Wufei? I need the keys.” Ayame approached Duo, racking a hand through her hair.**

**“I think he went upstairs, but shouldn’t it be unlocked?” He replied, taking in her disheveled appearance. He placed a comforting hand on her should and lightly gripped it. “Everything’s gonna be fine Ayame. Just have a little faith.”**

**Ayame couldn’t wait for Heero to come down, she needed to leave, she needed to go. She grabbed a few things from their panic room: first aide kits, extra blankets and food. She was packing the back of the jeep with the essentials and her bag when the screen door snapped shut. Ayame turned to face Heero but was shocked when Wufei was gracefully stepping down the steps.**

**“Where’s Heero?” She asked as her hear rate sped up.**

**Wufei walked around the car with a bag over his shoulder. “Something else came up.”**

**Wufei put an end to their conversation when he climbed into the passenger side of the vehicle. Ayame took a few deep breaths before she got into the driver side. She was silent throughout the drive, music played quietly to eat up the awkward vibes she knew she was giving off. Wufei didn’t give any indication that he sensed anything wrong and that just made her feel more anxious.**

**A few hours later and she was pressing on the gas to get through the tunnel that was hidden behind vines. Wufei wasn’t going to stop her. He could only imagine what horrible things she was imagining and the fact that Heero couldn’t give them any more information was not comforting. They had no idea what they were driving into. It could’ve been a camp taken over by the enemy or burnt to the ground. He took comfort in the fact that only two people were needed. If it were truly the end times all six of them would have come along.**

**She came to a slow stop once they were deep enough inside the camp. Wufei couldn’t know for sure, but it looked like there were fewer people gawking around than before. Ayame jumped out of the jeep and was immediately approached by small and medium children. They had wide smiles and shrieked with what Wufei guessed was delight. Or terror, he didn’t know. Ayame had bent down to their levels and accepted their breath taking hugs.**

**A small boy approached Wufei and tugged on his pants. Wufei looked down at the boy who was missing his four front teeth, ash brown hair, dark brown eyes and fair skin. He bends his knees to meet the boy’s gaze. He wasn’t sure how to speak to the child, he was rarely around child on his colony. When he was spoken to it was like having an adult conversation.**

**“Are you gonna get my dad back?” The boy asked, every other syllable was a lisp. Wufei was taken a back by the question and turned to Ayame to see if she heard the question.**

**“Your father is missing?” Wufei asked when he knew Ayame was watching and listening.**

**The little boy nodded his head, he was fighting back crocodile tears. “Yea.”**

**Ayame detangled herself from the other children and approached Wufei and the boy. “Roman what are you talking about? Where’s your dad? Where’s Stephon?”**

**Of course she knew the boy’s name, she probably knew all of their names. The boy, Roman, went straight into her arms. His slightly chubby hands gripped at the material of her shirt. “They were in town getting supplies when soldiers came and took my dad and others away.”**

**“When did this happen?” Ayame asked, her tone sweet and low.**

**“Three days ago.” Roman whimpered. He buried his face in her chest and sobbed loudly. Ayame wrapped her arms around him protectively and locked eyes with Wufei. They appeared to come to the same conclusion at the same time. The mission hadn’t been as successful as they were led to believe.**

**Wufei had difficulty keeping up with Ayame as she briskly walked through the camp. No one approached them obviously scared of the anger Ayame was emanating. It was like walking through the circus Trowa worked at. It was confusing with the twist and turn. Not every tent or hut housed a family, some of them stored food and other necessities.**

**Eventually they came to the large tent, the war room. Ayame entered dramatically and glared at her lieutenants that were sitting around the table. They were briefly surprised and stood when she approached them. Wufei lagged behind, not really sure what he should be doing.**

**“Give us the room.” Ayame said and Wufei thought she was speaking to him. He was about to leave, but Ayame stopped him. “Not you Wufei. These guys. Leave. Now.”**

**Slowly, the men left, one man muttered curses below his breath as he passed Wufei. He smirked at them, not bothered by the words that he could barely hear. Once the tent was cleared and Wufei zipped it shut he went to Ayame. She had both hands flat on the surface of the table and head bowed. His hand brushed over her shoulder, she flinched a bit, but it wasn’t dramatic like it has been.**

**“You can’t trust anyone.” Wufei whispered. They needed to be careful, there was no way of knowing if there were prying ears.**

**“My men wouldn’t lie to me.” Ayame set her face on his, her eyes a deep green and lost.**

**“Some of your men have been missing since the mission. A mission that was reported to have gone fine.” Wufei leaned in closer, the heat of his breath humming on her skin.**

**He watched as she drew her fingers into fists, leaving tiny indentations on the already beat up table. She sucked on her lower lip, biting it. “You don’t think they’d have something to do with this, do you?”**

**“I think we, you, need keep your mind open.” Wufei offered, straightening his back.**

**“You want me to question them?” She tilted her head to watch him through her strands of blonde hair.**

**Wufei smirk from before grew into a confident smile. “Don’t hold back.”**

**He’s behind her when she yells for them to come back in. The lieutenants don’t sit, they just stand and they look slightly terrified. He can’t see her face, but he’s seen it enough times when she’s contemplating someone’s death.**

**“Explain to me what the mission was.” She was level and devoid of emotion.**

**The man to her right was small, scrawny, fair toned like everyone else, with soft features and black hair and equally dark eyes. He spoke meekly. “You’ve received our reports—”**

**“I want to hear how you lost men in a town full of people.” Ayame demanded, her voice hard and edgy.**

**They froze, nervously eyeing each other and screwing their lips tightly. Ayame stands straight and shakes her shoulders and casts her focus over to Wufei. He raised his eyebrows in disbelief and a second later he sighed and nodded. Ayame flexes her back and rolls her shoulder again. She lifts a foot to the table and with a powerful thrusts she shoves it away from them. All of the men jump back, Wufei thinks he may have heard a few of them squawk.**

**Ayame goes to the closest one, grabs him by the collar of his shirt and yanks him down to her face. This one was taller, bulkier, but not huge. He has yellow hair like Ayame’s, but it’s dirtier and dull. Wufei couldn’t be sure, but his eyes looked grey.**

**“These men are your comrades, your brothers. And you stand here, lie to my face about a mission that clearly isn’t as cut and dry as you led me to believe. Now, worse case scenario you lied to me because these men have been captured.”**

**The meek man from before approached her. His hands were raised to defend himself and he sniveled, “Ayame please—”**

**How in the hell was this man a lieutenant Wufei wondered. He was so cowardly and small, there was no way he brought anything worth value to their planning.**

**Ayame dropped, really dropped him, when she released the man in her hold. She was quickly in the weak man’s face, he hunched over in cowardice. “Even worse is that you covered up the real reason with this lame ass excuse because these men are dead.”**

**The stronger and tanner of the men now went to her side. “Aurora they’re not dead.”**

**Wufei’s ears perked at the foreign name. Ayame snapped her attention to him, feeling Wufei’s curious eyes on her. Wufei guessed her name was a covert since she was a European with a Japanese name. But he never thought he’d learn her real name this quickly and by the slip of the tongue no doubt.**

**She briefly ignored Wufei and turned her attention back to the tan man. “So they have been captured.”**

**He shook his head and corrected himself before he spoke. “No Ayame. They’re traitors.”**

**“What are you talking about?” Ayame glared at the word traitor. Traitors never left the camp alive. It was a huge mistake to let them leave, it meant death for everyone.**

**“During the mission to destroy another base. Stephon, Lenard, Ceo and Ri and three others turned on us. We barely escaped with our own lives and we lost a few more men as we escaped.”**

**Ayame’s shoulders sagged, “why lie to me?”**

**“It was the only way to protect you.”**

**He reached to pat her head like she was one of the small children, but she swatted his hand away. “I don’t need your protection.”**

**Wufei joined them, placing a soothing hand on her arm. She glimpsed up into his calm dark eyes and took a deep breath. She didn’t hide behind him, but she took a step back.**

**“Why haven’t you moved your camp? Why aren’t you preparing for an attack by the betrayers and Oz?” Wufei asked logically.**

**Ayame gasped when the realization hit her, drawing the attention from every man. “The children. You’re using their children like shields.”**

**All of the men quickly replied, faking shock, “no!”**

**“It’s been three days. Day one after deserting would result in Oz attacking. But because their wives and children are here, they’re withholding the information about our camp, including the location.”**

**Wufei could see her trembling, her green eyes were lighter than normal from the anger and the tears streaming her face. “You’re just as spineless and evil as Oz.”**

**The men went silent again, their heads bowed in shame except for the meek lieutenant. He actually meet Ayame’s eyes determined and not backing down. “This is war Ayame.”**

**“That doesn’t justify using children.” Wufei argued and the man not only immediately shut up, but he backed away from Wufei.**

**Ayame turned her back on her men, feeling disgust and murderous rage towards theme. “Call Heero. We’re going to need help evacuating the camp.”**

**“We can—”**

**Ayame pointed at them without facing them. “No. Not you. I’m not talking or listening to you. I don’t trust you. Wufei, please.”**

**Wufei looked between her and the men. He wasn’t certain if he was going to return to the tent to find dead bodies, but he left anyway. Maybe without a witness they’ll be more open.**

**“I’ll get right on that.” Wufei said before passing the men and disappearing through the flaps of the tent.**

**“You’re taking this too far Ayame.”**

**Ayame didn’t care which one said it, but she spun towards them her face set like stone. “No. You did that when you used innocent and helpless children to protect yourselves.”**

**She approached a random one, a shorter, bulkier man with a crew cut. She was inches away from his face, boring into him until he looked away. “These kids have seen enough war and death.”**

**Quatre and the others didn’t waste time arriving by their gundams. By then, however, Ayame had informed the entire camp was moving and that everyone should begin packing everything up. Wufei refused to leave her side, she looked as if she was ready to pop off at anything. They occupied themselves by helping loading the vans with children and their mothers.**

**Once everyone was ready to the gundams left to scout the route to the next safe location. There was only one thing left to do and Ayame was over the moon to do it. Her lieutenants were standing around where the war room tent once stood. They turned towards her once they heard her and Wufei coming.**

**“Everyone is asking why we’re suddenly moving. Why the gundams are here. I should give you up to them and watch you burn. Instead, I’m going to send Oz a coded message where to find this place. All they will find are you four.”**

**The little one asked, “what will you do?”**

**“I’ll continue fighting until the war is over.” Ayame confidently replied.**

**The taller of the four rolled his eyes and snarled, ‘’with him?” He tossed his head in Wufei’s direction.**

**“Yes, you racist fuck. With him. He’s done for me in the few months we’ve known each other than you assholes have in a lifetime.”**

**Wufei waited for her as she made her final rounds around the dead and dying ground. When he saw her approaching he started the car. She would have argued about driving, but she was just so damn tired. The last few months were finally catching up with her and all she wanted to do now was sleep. But the anger that lit her blood to life made it impossible.**

**The Chinese pilot sensed the bubbling emotion and felt her need to talk, but she was keeping everything to herself. He was familiar with the pain of losing, he lost everything. His wife, his people and his colony. He never felt the need to talk about it until Ayame was forced into their group. She was very easy to talk to once they stopped avoiding each other.**

**“Are you alright?” He asked softly.**

**“No. I’m frustrated. Children should never be used like that.” Ayame’s voice trembled and ached.**

**Wufei’s hand moved on its own towards her, heading towards her knee that poked out through the broken strands of her jeans. He retreated when his mind drifted back to earlier this morning when just their hands bumping made her jolt. He didn’t want to cause her anymore distress. He rested his hand back on the steering wheel and kept his focus on the road.**

**“No, they shouldn’t.” He cleared his throat, “are you really going to send Oz the location?”**

**Ayame shook her head with a chuckle, “no. I just wanted to scare them and also leave them tied to a tree until someone comes along.”**

**“And what if it is Oz that comes across them?”**

**“I won’t lose sleep either way.” Ayame replied staring out the window.**

**They slip into silence again and it was an hour into their drive when they arrived in a new town. While they were stopped at a stop light, Wufei saw a child run to her mother with a wide and cheerful smile with teeth showing.**

**“Your reaction was understandable, but it was a little, how would Duo put it? Extra.” Wufei said, his wording was odd on his tongue and their ears.**

**It made Ayame laugh though, “what your point?”**

**“A normal person would be angry, yes, but they wouldn’t tie anyone to a tree for the wolves to find.”**

**“I’m still waiting on the question.” Ayame stated, she had fully turned in her seat to stare at him. His profile was facing her and she couldn’t help but notice how refined it was for how young he was.**

**Wufei was hesitant, “what else happened to you?”**

**“I don’t know what you mean.” Ayame said dramatically fake.**

**Wufei pulls over into a random restaurant parking lot and stop the car. It’s not like they’re going to lose the caravan of refugees and weapons.**

**“I will get out and walk.” She threatened.**

**Wufei locks the doors and turns his body to face her, “no you won’t.”**

**“Seriously?” She unlocks her door and opens it.**

**Wufei reaches over her and closes it, “tell me.”**

**“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”**

**“Absolutely not.” Wufei agreed.**

**Ayame sighs, “I already told you about my family and what happened to my mother.”**

**Wufei remains silent but nods.**

**“At the beginning, living in the camp wasn’t easy. Especially after my mother died. The Romerfellers wanted me. For reasons I don’t know. So the leader at the time, Adunar, used me.”**

**“To make them leave the country?”**

**“I think. I was never told and the men we have now joined after Adunar died, so they don’t know either.”**

**“How did he die?” Wufei asked, starting the car back up.**

**“Under mysterious circumstances.” She answered, turning around in her seat once they were back on the road.**

**“Did you sneak into his room and kill him?” Wufei chuckled a little.**

**Ayame laughed loudly, “I was six!”**

**“How am I supposed to know how long you’ve been savage?” Wufei asked.**

**She gawked at him, “please stop listening to Duo.”**


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: uuuuuhhh????, gay make-out session, emotional repression…that’s all I got.
> 
> Word count: 3.404
> 
> Author’s note: This chapter was chill for the most part. Mostly… it took me awhile to write this, I really struggled with it. I hope everyone is staying safe out there. The world is kind of going to hell. I hope you’re not contemplating on cutting your hair. I don’t see coloring your hair as an issue, that can be a quick fix, but cutting her hair? That is a snip you can’t take back. Trust me, I know. I cut my bangs once and it did not turn out well. Learn from my mistakes. Drop the scissors and walk away. 
> 
> Please read and enjoy (and if possible/if you want leave a comment)~!!

**It was beginning to feel like trouble was following them. After one conflict they always seemed to fall into another. They weren’t in immediate danger, at least not yet. They were, however, treading in treacherous waters. They had decided to stay close to town in case Oz figured out where the camp had relocated. The house was smaller than the last one with fewer rooms and a bathroom on each floor.**

**They couldn’t decide who should room with whom. The group was sitting around in the living room, tempers were running high from the lack of sleep and stress. Quatre disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared a few minutes with cut up straws.**

**“If the heights match then we have our roommates.” Quatre explained, concealing the straws, except the tips, in his fist. Afterwards they stood in a circle with their palms face up, measuring each straw carefully. Quatre, Heero and Duo were in one room, Trowa was on his own and Wufei and Ayame…**

**“It’s like the universe is putting them together.” Duo whispered in Quatre’s ear.**

**Quatre ignored him, “should we draw again?”**

**“Ayame, you can take my room.” Trowa offered his straw like the piece of plastic was the key.**

**“It’s fine you guys.” Ayame said smiling. “There are two beds, right?”**

**“Yes, but—”**

**“It’s fine Quatre. We call know I can take Wufei if he tries anything.”**

**“What makes you think that?” Wufei asked, cocking an eyebrow.**

**“Because you don’t fight women.” Ayame mocked him.**

**Wufei smirked, “maybe I’ll make an exception with you.”**

**The two disappeared up the stairs, still bickering along the way. The others watched on and shared perplexed glances until the voices disappeared down the hall. Quatre felt the energies radiating off of Ayame Wufei more intently than the others. Denial. That’s what Quatre felt the most from the two. Longing and wanting were mixed in as well, but Ayame and Wufei were hesitant to act on those impulses. Neither of them grew up in an environment that allowed them to explore those feelings. Now they were refusing to feel what the others were seeing.**

**Quatre was definitely afraid of them sharing a room. Not because they might hook-up, that wasn’t in either of their natures. However, getting in a shouting match that ends with them in a fight was an actual possibility. The only ones who were strong enough to break them apart were Heero and maybe Trowa. He could see Duo cheering for Ayame and that would just make things worse.**

**Trowa did his best to quiet Quatre’s worries to the best of his abilities. Eventually Quatre caved to Trowa’s words and was able to go to his room mostly at piece. Trowa didn’t like it when he worried about these sorts of things. Sometimes he cared too much about other people. Before Quatre open the door to leave Trowa’s room, he quickly crossed the room. Placing one hand on the small of Quatre’s back and the other on the door to push it close.**

**Quatre rotated in his arms and tilted his head upwards. Trowa cupped his face in his hands and gently laid a kiss in the middle of his brow. He then angled his head to pepper his cheeks with repeatable pecks down his jaw line and onto his neck. Quatre squirmed in his arms, pressing closer to him.**

**“Stay with me tonight.” Trowa whispered faintly in his ears.**

**Quatre was able to free his face and buried himself in Trowa’s chest, his arms wrapping around his waist tightly. He nodded his head into the green fabric making Trowa’s heart clench at the cute shyness. He resisted the urge to scoop him up and carry him off to the ends of the earth. To hide him away from the war and death. His heart was too weak for any of it but stayed because he knew his skills were needed. He was the strongest out of all them.**

**Quatre drifted to sleep quickly, being engulfed of Trowa’s warmth and heavy blankets. Trowa stayed awake a little longer, hoping Heero or Duo wouldn’t barge in wondering where Quatre had disappeared to. He didn’t want them, especially Duo, disturbing Ayame and Wufei. Their whole situation, more so now, was awkward to wade through by themselves. Add unwanted attention by someone who just wants them to see what everyone else is seeing, would stir the hornets nest. Especially if one of them hasn’t realized their emotions for the other.**

**This might be a long night for someone, Trowa thought to himself. There was no way Wufei was going to be perturbed by their universal coupling. Trowa had decided long ago Wufei was either in extreme denial or he was just expertly controlling his emotions. He was just afraid those tightly lidded emotions would eventually erupt and they would cause more harm than good.**

**Ayame, however, was a different story Trowa concluded. She grew up around emotions but being who she is and what she does she’s never been allowed to act upon them. Trowa predicts that she’ll get frustrated with her feelings and end up confessing first and that terrifies her. Everyone she’s ever loved has been killed. Therefore, she keeps everyone at a safe distance, never letting glimpse the real her. But he suspects Wufei has crossed the bridge and now Ayame is more afraid than ever.**

**Ayame was wide awake in the middle of the night. Her back faced Wufei in a tight circle, with her knees drawn up to her chest. She was hyper aware of his light breathing, his tossing and turning and the brief hushed murmurs. Her cheeks were feverish with blush and her heart felt like it was going to fall out of her butt. Or maybe she was going to throw it up.**

**She wasn’t going to find out tonight. As quietly as she could, she snuck out of her bed and crept down the stairs. No one was up after being awake for almost three days straight. There were a few grocery items, but nothing that really whet her appetite. Ayame didn’t want to go back to bed, but she was incredibly exhausted. Sitting down on the couch was her downfall. She was just going to watch the news until she felt tired enough to return to bed. As soon as her head hit the decorative pillow, however, her eyes immediately felt heavy.**

**Wufei woke up alone in the room. He hadn’t heard Ayame sneak out or come back in when the sun rose. Her bed wasn’t made and that kind of irritated him. He maneuvered himself into his meditation position and attempted to center his mind. He cracked one eye open to Ayame’s unmade bed and then tried to refocus until he heard the others wake up. But her messy bed kept him from doing so. Begrudgingly, he scooted himself off his bed and went to hers to straighten everything.**

**When he wasn’t surprised to not find her in the kitchen helping Quatre make breakfast. The blonde pilot told him she and Duo left at the crack of dawn to go to the new camp to help set up generators and a decent security system. Quatre was saying something about needing help in town to get supplies, but Wufei wasn’t listening at that point. He was spacing out in the window, something didn’t feel right to him.**

**“Are you alright?” Quatre asked, snapping him back to earth.**

**He nods, not trusting his own voice. A vision of Ayame from last night as she slept crept into mind. She was the last thing he saw before sleep finally drew him under. The soft curve of her figure being blanketed stir something within. She looked so fragile and helpless. It took all the strength he had to not crawl into bed with her to keep her warm. Protected.**

**He vaguely remembers Quatre and Trowa telling him goodbye as they left to get their food supplies. He went through the motions as he performed his morning routine before Heero dragged him to the new site. Good. Maybe doing something will keep his mind busy. He needed to do something to escape Ayame’s overwhelming presence.**

**Ayame looked up when Duo shouted Heero’s name and waved him down furiously. Heero raised a hand lamely in their direction as a greeting and Wufei stepped up behind him. He was carrying cables around a shoulder and watched on blankly as Duo trotted up to Heero. Ayame remained where she was on top of one of the generators. It was odd seeing her out of a sweater and wearing a brightly colored tank top. Surprisingly her arms were toned and there some scars Wufei wondered how she received. Her blonde hair was almost white in the bright sunlight and it was gathered up on top of her head in the messiest of buns. Strands of hair cascaded down the nap of her neck and by her ears.**

**She continued working on the generator while sneaking glances towards the trio. She couldn’t make out their conversation but judging by Wufei’s bored expression it wasn’t a particular interesting discussion. Children approached her wanting to play, but their mothers quickly gathered them. Begrudgingly they followed their mother like ducklings and Ayame continue to work.**

**Duo returned to her and leaned against the metal box, arms behind him in a lazy fashion. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, the question he’s been dying to ask her for weeks simmering on the surface.**

**“What’s wrong Duo?” Ayame asked, squinting at a component and crouched closer to it.**

**“Nothing particular.” He shrugged and coolly looked off to the side.**

**“Bull.” Ayame leaned back on her ankles. A rather elegant movement for a rebel leader, something he saw a dancer do once on television.**

**Duo’s cheek puffed out dramatically in a pout. “Fine. Why were you on the couch this morning?”**

**“I was hungry and fell asleep.” She immediately answered.**

**His eyes rolled, doubting her own bullshit answer. “Uh-huh. Sure you weren’t running away?”**

**“What are you talking about?” Ayame asked faking irritation as she swiped the sweat from her brow. “I don’t run away from anything.”**

**“Run away. Fall asleep on the couch. Tomayto-tomahto.” Duo weighed his hands up and down.**

**“Duo, what in the hell are talking about?” She was actually getting angry now. “I’m serious. What’s a tomahto?”**

**“You really don’t see it?” Duo asked.**

**Ayame blushed but blamed it on the sun. She returned to her work, ignoring Duo’s expectant stare. “I see you not helping.”**

**Duo faced her now, stomach lying flat against the machine. His arms crossed each other to cushion his chin as he looked up at her through his eyelashes. Amethyst eyes almost shining like periwinkle in the sunlight. “Ayame seriously.”**

**She jumped off the object and handed him the wrench and gloves. “No not seriously Duo. What in the hell are you talking about?”**

**Duo swallowed the question, “never mind. It’s nothing, just my imagination.”**

**Heero was up in a tree tying a cable around the trunk while Wufei was in a lower branch holding onto the camera. They had remained silent after they parted from Duo, the conversation Wufei hadn’t listen to a word of long forgotten. The image of Ayame glowing while she worked was all he could focus on. So concentrated on the image he didn’t hear Heero asking for the camera until his hand was inches away from his face.**

**Wufei weakly apologized and handed him the device. Heero glimpsed down at his comrade as his hand worked the screwdriver. The longing expression on Wufei’s face wasn’t hard to miss.**

**“What’s going on between you and Ayame?” Heero asked suddenly.**

**“There’s nothing going on between us.” Wufei replied, awkwardly avoiding**

**“Oh, okay then.” Heero easily accepted his reply, even if it felt like a lie.**

**They continued working in silence, Wufei paying more attention to Heero except when he saw Ayame walk pass them a few feet away. Her shoulders looked pink from the sun exposure and her hair was falling more out of place with every bounce in her step.**

**“Why do you think there’s something between us?” Wufei asked, his eyes following her until she dropped out of his vision.**

**Heero followed Wufei’s gaze and couldn’t stop the small disbelief chuckle escape his lips, “based off a few things I’ve noticed?”**

**Wufei’s heart began to beat harder. He couldn’t understand why he was so nervous, but he played it off coolly. “Indulge me.”**

**Heero took a break from fixing the camera to the trunk and made powerful eye contact with Wufei. “You two are constantly fighting, sometimes close to fists, but then you guys just make up? I don’t understand it honestly. You’re always coming to her rescue. You’re by each other sides even if it’s an awkward situation. You support her.”**

**“We’re comrades.” Wufei defends.**

**“It’s different with you two.” Heero mulls over his words. “Even though you two have known each other for a few months you two are closer than any of us. It’s like you’re drawn to each other even if you’re hundred yards apart.”**

**“You’ve lost me.” Wufei’s brow screwed together with confusion**

**“Then I can’t help you.” Heero commented before he returning to the device.**

**After setting up all the cameras Heero and Wufei separated. The Wing pilot returned with Duo, but Wufei went in search for Ayame. Ignoring Heero’s “you two are drawn together” words because he wasn’t right. He just wanted all of them to return home together. Taking multiple trips was a waste of time.**

**Everyone he asked pointed him the direction of the civilian tents and soon he heard the shrill laughter of children. It wasn’t a surprise when he found her lying flat on the ground surrounded by children, the smaller ones were on top of her bent over with markers.**

**Wufei’s shadow curtained her face making it easier for her to open her eyes. Her smile was bright as it was wide and mischievous.**

**“What’s up?” She asked, her voice reaching an octave higher.**

**“What are you doing?” Wufei inquired as he lowered himself to the dirt, balancing on his feet.**

**“Losing a battle.” Ayame replied without a care in the world, arms being covered in random doodles, grass and dirt.**

**The children who weren’t bothered by his presence anymore, some even tried to approach him with their markers. Wufei took one, he couldn’t comprehend why the little girl gave him the utensil. She wasn’t happy when he tucked it away in his palm, he laughed and handed it back to her.**

**“They’re children.”**

**“Exactly.” She huffed pieces of grass away seconds after a boy sprinkled the blades over her face.**

**“I don’t understand.”**

**“Clearly. I am performing the greatest mission. Keeping the kiddos busy while the half-way house is being prepared for them?” Ayame said sitting up. She tossed the hair of the little girl who was still drawing on her expose knee.**

**“Half-way house?”**

**“Quatre set it up. They’ll live in an actual house, have a roof over their heads instead of a tent.” Ayame continued when Wufei didn’t say anything, “living in a place like this isn’t good for them.”**

**“I guess you have firsthand experience.” His voice was smooth and low. She caught the fondness in his demeanor making her blush.**

**After helping her escape her short captors they walked back to the where the jeep should have been. They shared the same exasperated sigh and slack in their shoulders.**

**“Duo.” They said in unison, coming to the same conclusion.**

**They began their trek home, hoping to get there in time for dinner and to bury Duo alive afterwards. Ayame was examining her arms of all the weird animal doodles and letters that didn’t spell anything.**

**“They did this on purpose.” Ayame said, dropping her arms to her side.**

**“You let the children do that.” Wufei said, chuckling at his personal favorite green dog drawing with sharp uneven lines.**

**“No, well yes, but I was talking about Heero and Duo taking the car.”**

**“Ah them.” Realizing what she meant, “they’re under the impression that we’re…never mind.”**

**“No, tell me.” Ayame wrapped her fingers around his arm, stopping them both.**

**“It’s nothing. They’re just being idiotic.”**

**“Isn’t that their normal?” Ayame questioned sarcastically.**

**“I suppose that’s true for Duo, but not for Heero.” Wufei paused, “actually Heero can be an idiot sometimes, but his idiocy is different from Duo’s.”**

**“You’re talking about blowing himself up?” Ayame asked. She hasn’t seen the Japanese pilot perform the act, but she’s heard all the stories.**

**“Yes, that.” Wufei affirmed and then continued walking, happy that he redirected their conversation. Ayame seemed to have followed suit as she started to contemplate how she was going to wash all of the markings off. How she half regretted wearing a sleeveless shirt. Wufei thought it was a nice change since all of her sweaters swallowed her physical appearance. For the first time in months she looked like a girl, but he supposed that’s why she wore them. The men would take her seriously even though she kept her hair long and her face was delicate.**

**_You’re always by her side._**

**_You support her._ **

**_It’s like you two are drawn to each other._ **

**Heero’s words repeated in Wufei’s head. Was there something going on between them? He was beginning to think Heero was right and how stupid he was for lying to himself. If the others were making speculations then was Ayame? Was she just waiting for him to catch up to him?**

**Ayame’s eyes wandered towards Wufei, catching him staring at her intently. “Is there something on my face?”**

**Wufei’s face brightens and widens in shock, partly due to embarrassment when she caught him. He turned away from her, but she could see the slope of his cheek turning pink. “I was just thinking about something.”**

**“What else is new?” Ayame asked, her voice laced with sarcasm.**

**Wufei abruptly stops, spinning towards her. The gap between them closing in suddenly spooking Ayame and jolting her back. The intense shine in Wufei’s dark orbs, but she can see that his eyes are more grey than black. He has inches on her, he has to tilt his head down to level their eyes. She was vaguely aware of a hand reaching for hers, nimble fingers stretching towards hers.**

**Their attention is torn away when the jeep is skidding to a stop a few feet away from them. Heero’s head emerged over the top of the jeep and the air was sucked out of both of their lungs. Heero’s face was pale, eyes wide and watery with worry.**

**“There’s a problem.” Heero ominously reported as soon as Wufei and Ayame were closer to him.**

**“What is it?” Ayame attempted to mentally prepare herself for the worst news. She never expected Heero’s worse than bad news.**

**“The radars picked up a large Oz land and sky fleet heading towards the new base.” Heero fixed his face to appear calm in hopes to calm Ayame, but the news took the remaining air out of her lungs. She lost her footing and her knees caved, but Wufei caught her before she had the chance to hit the ground.**

**“How did they find us so fast?” Wufei’s thought process went directly to the problem as he helped Ayame stand on her feet.**

**They’re all quiet, their gaze fixated on each other as they mentally searched for the answer. Ayame’s head snapped back to the camp, her gaze piercing with realization.**

**“There’s another mole. Maybe he didn’t leave with the others so he could report to the ones who did. That’s the only explanation.” She babbled, she gripped Wufei’s hand so tightly to hide the fact she was trembling.**

**“What should we do?” Heero asked, he was calmer, he had to be. Besides Wufei who was miraculously keep him composure, Ayame needed them as an example of stability so she wouldn’t lose it.**

**“We’ll have to worry about that later. Right now we need to focus on defending the camp and this town.” Ayame replied, turning her gaze in the direction of the camp.**

**“You don’t honestly think they’d turn this place into a battlefield, do you?” Wufei questioned.**

**“I think they’ll stoop to just about anything.” Ayame seethed.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: It’s been awhile since I’ve updated. My mental health hasn’t been the greatest so I struggled getting this one done. I still don’t feel 100% but I wanted to finish this one so I could stop feeling bad about abandoning it for so long.
> 
> There’s a lot going on right now. The country is burning and it sickens me that so many POC have-are—suffering. I believe in equality for everyone—not so much for those who don’t think Black Lives Matter and who are racists in general. The media is focused on the riots to take everyone’s attention away from the peaceful protests and why people are marching peacefully to begin with. Please don’t get swept into the media’s and the President’s (ick) lies. Black lives are important, they are so important and precious. And fuck you if you think differently. 
> 
> Also, if you are protesting please remember to be safe. Wear masks because Corona is still a thing and it is claiming more lives now than ever before. Be safe, I love all of you. 
> 
> P.S: if you can't donate (which is perfectly fine) please sign and share petetions. Things need to change. This is 2020 things should have changed long before now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: mobile suit battle, self-sacrifice and time skip. 
> 
> Word count: 4759
> 
> I got a new phone and my twitter has been acting weird. I can't access my writing page, so for now, until I fix it, if you want updates on when I'm writing please follow ashes_to_the_ , thank you~! Please enjoy~!!

In an underground bunker a few miles away Ayame’s rebels and The Maganac Corp delivered the gundams and a mobile suit in the dead of night. The bunker was filled with all the trinkets and weapons they could possibly dream up. Ammunition, maps, radar and rations. After going back and forth, the pilots and Ayame came up with a battle plan to defend the camp and the town. They were all tinkering with their suits, shouting at each other from across the acoustic chamber. Duo’s attention was drawn away from adjusting his radio when he saw Ayame climb into an Arie’s cockpit.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He asked, crawling out of the cockpit and taking a seat on the hatch. He swung his legs over the side and tilted his to the side with an amused smile and soft eyes.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Ayame countered as she plopped down in her seat. The machine itself was beat up with large dents with patched up bullet holes. The original paint was covered in earth tones, customed weapons and her groups insignia painted on the shoulder.

Duo shrugged, his head tilting to the side, “preparing for a tea party.”

“Funny.” Ayame dead panned, doing her best to ignore his questions because she knew what was coming. She’s heard them all before. Girls can’t pilot a mobile suit, a woman has no place on the battlefield. She should stay behind to look after the children. It was one sexist comment after another.

“You can’t be serious.” Quatre’s voice cut in, startling her when he suddenly popped over the edge. She didn’t hear the lifting cable drop down, let alone veer up, “it’s going to be too dangerous. Leave the mobile suit battle to us.”

Ayame sighed dramatically, “who do you think you’re talking to? I’m the leader of this camp. It’s me Oz is after here. How can I look these people in the eye if I don’t protect them?”

“That maybe, but it’s still far too dangerous.” Quatre pushed away a monitor and leaned in closer to her

“I’ve been piloting suits since I was eight. This Aries since I was twelve. I’ve trained a few of my men to pilot and how to shoot, so there’s no need to worry your pretty blonde head.”

Duo nodded his head in Quatre’s direction, “can’t argue with experience.”

“Don’t encourage her!” Quatre shouted, snapping his attention to the Deathscythe pilot.

Wufei approached Quatre from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder. “She’ll fight with us.”

Quatre rolled his eyes, releasing an exhausted sigh, “not you too.”

“Surprising no one.” Duo said under his breath.

“We’ll need all the help we can get.” Heero said from across the bunker. Ending the conversation. He had been so quiet they forgot he was even there.

Quatre gave up his fight when Trowa’s vote for Ayame to join them. It didn’t stop him from worrying, however. There was something in the pit of his stomach that made him nauseous. He thought sitting in Sandrock would make him feel better, but the closer the enormous Oz fleet got, the worse he felt.

“Everything will be alright Quatre.” Trowa’s voice soothed over him.

“I can’t help but feel something bad is going to happen.” Quatre said softly.

“It’s her decision. You of all people should know there’s nothing you can say to change her mind.” Trowa reminded him of the long friendship they’ve had.

“Yes, but—”

“Quatre.” Trowa said softly, but with a stern undertone. “You can’t go into battle like this. Clear your mind and focus.”

They were getting antsy, it probably wasn’t normal to be excited about going into battle, but they haven’t been in a real battle for months. They were simply happy to have something to do. They set out early, too early, but they wanted to be prepared. Trowa, Quatre and Wufei set up a line, a few hundred feet from each to watch the horizon. They would be in charge of shooting down Oz’s earth mobile suit while Heero, Duo and Ayame circled the skies and shoot down anything that broke through the small perimeter.

Their radars went crazy with red blinking dots and alarms as the enemy finally broke ground. They appeared in the distant as black specks, growing larger as they raced towards the gundams and Ayame. A pack of Leo’s fired first, initiating the battle, still the heroes didn’t fight back. They were well aware of Oz’s tricks and they refused to fall for them. Not this time. They couldn’t afford to make this a losing battle. It had to be a victory, no matter what.

Heero and Duo kept getting swept up in a large swarm of enemy Aries suits, the same for Quatre, Wufei and Trowa. They panicked when they thought Ayame had already been shot down. An echoing beep rung over their heads just in time for Ayame’s suit to de-camouflage from a sky blue to the earth toned paint it had at the beginning. She dropped down into the middle of the sky fight, shooting every enemy in the back until Heero and Duo were free and then flew to the aide of the others.

Duo whistled and then smirked wickedly, “ damn are you guys seeing this? We’re being upstaged.”

“She fights like a veteran.” Heero said, almost too stunned to fight.

“Guess you were worried over nothing.” Trowa said, briefly fleeting his green eyes in Quatre’s screen.

“Maybe, but…” Quatre didn’t finish his thought, he chewed on his lower lip, the pressure of his woes were simmering.

Ayame threw a rock at Sandrock as she flew by, “You worry too much.”

Quatre threw it back, but missed her, “No! I worry the right amount!”

“You are so cute.” She rose in the sky, hiding disappearing in the sun’s light.

“Ayame, there are new units heading your way.” Wufei said, curtly.

“I see them.” Ayame maneuvered through the enemy’s random firing, she swooped behind them aiming her rifle to their backs, “oh look, their they go.”

Wufei smirked in amusement, “you are having too much fun.”

“Cut me so slack, it’s been awhile since I’ve been in a mobile suit fight.” Ayame said a little too carefree for Wufei’s taste. There was a lightness to her voice that she didn’t take on when she was in camp. None of them have heard such a sparkle in her voice, like another person has taken over her body and mind. Ayame’s soul belonged to the battleground.

The fight continues, the enemy mobile suits dwindled more and more. The way they were disappearing off their maps was suspicious. It was one thing when they defeated an enemy suit and that heat signature disappeared. If Ayame was reading her screen correctly all the heat signatures were reforming up the hill where they first appeared. She flew up and high above the clouds so she wouldn’t be picked up and spotted the enemy retreating far beyond their original post.

Ayame wiped sweat from her brow. Exhaustion was beginning to settle in. How long has the fight been going on exactly? Ayame lost track around the first hour mark. It was a large group, larger than any of them have faced. Ayame cursed when she realized their plan.

“I think Quatre was right to worry.” Ayame said, releasing one hand to shake the tension away before repeating it in the other hand.

“What about? He’s right about a lot things.” Duo said, feeling the same tension in his shoulders. 

“You’re sensing it too?” Quatre pushed his goggles up his forehead. Sweat was beginning to form inside, making it hard to see out of them

“Do you guys wanna fill the rest of us in?” Duo asked.

“I’m not sensing anything, but I see it. Their heat signatures are disappearing at a quicker rate from before. It’s unusual, unless one of us has sniper skills they neglected to inform us on.” Ayame said chewing on her cheek. “I think they’re building up to something big.”

“They’d sacrifice their remaining men just to keep us busy?” Wufei asked angrily. Sacrificing men for the sake of a cause did not sit well with him. He knew they were soldiers and soldiers die in battle all the time, but this was like leading sheep to slaughter.

“Agreed, cover me.” Heero said, leaving no room for arguments as he flew high into the air, passing Ayame. He dropped a keyboard into his lap and shifted his regular sensors to look for anything that was not normal.

Ayame and Duo circle Heero, shooting down anyone that approach them. Quatre, Trowa and Wufei drew as much fire as they could without depleting their dwindled ammunition, but the enemy caught onto their plan. This would have been impossible at the beginning of the battle, but now that the enemy was retreating Heero was able to find their hidden agenda.

“Oh no.” Heero’s voice was breathy and ominous. On their screen he was pale with parted lips and widened dark blue eyes.

“What is it?” Quatre briefly glanced up at him before returning fire at a Leo that was hiding behind a large boulder.

“There’s a bomb. A huge one.” Heero explained, typing away ferociously.

“How big is big?” Duo asked, cocking an eyebrow. He wanted to make an inappropriate joke so bad, but he sensed all disapproving eyes on him.

“Big enough to take out this area five times over.” Heero’s eyes darted over the blueprints of the bomb and sent them the specs.

Ayame didn’t waste a second glance towards Heero’s screen. She rolled her eyes and mustered all the distain she could into, “a cyclops bomb. Wonderful.”

“You’ve seen it used before.” Trowa’s eyes darting over the prints. This bomb, whatever it was, was intimidatingly impressive. Even with Heero’s special and severe training there was no way he could disarm it.

“Once, when I was little. It wiped out my father’s country.” She didn’t tell them it happened a few years after her mother died. Oz thought if they threatened to destroy her country the rebellion group would hand her over, but they refused saying they didn’t negotiate with terrorists. In almost childlike behavior they destroyed the country anyway.

“Can we stop it?” Duo asked, returning his focus to the dwindling battle.

“No. People are going to die.” Ayame said, hoping her poker face was convincing. 

“We have to at least warn people.” Quatre yelled.

Ayame rolled her eyes, of course Quatre wanted to warn the city. He didn’t have to be dramatic about it. “You can try, but it won’t change the fact people are going to die.”

“We have to try.” Quatre argued.

Ayame wasn’t taking about the civilians. They would be fine, especially now.

“Do whatever you want.” Ayame flipped Quatre’s connection off, made her screen black and made sure no one else, but Trowa could hear her.

“What’s wrong?” Trowa asked.

“I’m gonna destroy the bomb.” Ayame said.

“But you said—”

“I know what I said. I lied. I didn’t want Heero blowing himself up. I have a plan, but you have to keep Wufei and Quatre away.” Ayame explained.

“What about Heero and Duo?” Trowa asked.

“Duo may be an idiot, but he’s practical. And Heero is…Heero. Please, Trowa, keep them safe.” Ayame pleaded.

“Of course.”

Trowa corrals Wufei, Duo and Heero into helping Quatre alert the citizens about the bomb. Meanwhile, Ayame is fighting through the rest of the enemy who stayed behind to occupy the gundam pilots. Wufei happened to look at his screen when he realized Ayame wasn’t anywhere near them. He searched through his screens, but he couldn’t find her heat signature.

“Where’s Ayame?” Wufei inquired, looking in Heero’s direction. The Wing Zero’s sensor system had a longer range and could hopefully find her.

“According to the readings, she’s…” Heero’s voice drifted.

“Where is she?” Wufei’s demanding voice echoed in their cockpits, causing them to wince as if they were hearing nails on chalkboard.

Heero swallowed hard, making eye contact with Wufei, “she’s right by the bomb.” His steady tone didn’t betray Heero, but the nervous twinkle in his dark eyes gave away the dread he was feeling.

“What?” Wufei turns towards Ayame’s direction.

Trowa noticed and charged Wufei, bear hugging him and his gundam. The force of the motion knocked them both to the ground. Wufei’s safety harness loosened enough for his head to bounce against a visual frame, creating a gash in his forehead. Blood smeared the grass scenery before him, his eyes coming into focus.

“Release me!” Wufei yelled, pushing against his ally, attempting to break free.

“I’m sorry Wufei, but I won’t.” Trowa apologized, his face as unreadable as ever.

“I don’t care. Let me go to her!” Wufei glared at Trowa’s face, black eyes shining with heat. Blood caressed the side of his face, making Wufei look more intense. 

They struggled on the ground for a few more minutes, exchanging curses and punches. Wufei broke away, pushing Heavyarms off of him with the help of Duo and Quatre. When he was able to steady Nataku on her feet a large explosion shook the ground and their suits. Wufei shoved Trowa to the ground as he flew off in Ayame direction. . He dodged and maneuvered through the flying debris, various mobile suit parts and falling rocks.

Wufei is the first one to arrive on the scene and he is immediately horror struck. There are pieces of Oz’s troops scattered around the area. Ground zero is a massive crater, larger than he thought, a scorch mark is all that remains of the bomb. Resting against a broken in half tree is Ayame’s camouflage Aries. It’s missing its legs, an arm and head and is sparking. The cockpit door is hanging on by a thread.

Wufei’s heart beats loudly in his ears and his fingertips tingled and felt warm. He lands close to her machine and fixes his camera on the cockpit. His sensors don’t pick up a human heat signature, he almost doesn’t believe it until he zooms in until the picture blurs over. The cockpit is empty, there’s no sign that she was ever inside.

The others finally arrive and gather around Nataku and the damaged ally suit. The atmosphere is stagnant, their words drying and cracking on their tongues. Tears began to dam Quatre’s eyes, making it impossible for him to see the damage on his screens.

“Wufei, is she…” Duo lost the will to ask the rest of the question.

“She’s not here.” Wufei couldn’t almost believe what he was seeing. Or rather, what he wasn’t seeing. 

“That can’t be, she’s got to be there. Her suit is half destroyed.” Quatre is the first to open his hatch to get out and search her suit in person.

“There’s nothing! She’s not here!” Wufei shouted, stopping Quatre in his tracks.

Before anyone can suggest Wufei gets out and begins to search for her on foot. Maybe she jumped out and just got caught up in the debris? What if Aries’s was too badly damaged before she reached the bomb? She could have gotten out and into another suit. That was possible. Anything was possible, except that. She couldn’t be…no…there was no way someone as stubborn as her could go out like that.

Except there was nothing.

Nothing. 

Wufei heads over to a rock pile that looked like it could shield a few people from the explosion. The others call after him as he shoves at slabs of concrete and throws rocks the size of his head out of his way. There was no way she was gone, the voice in Wufei’s gone repeated over and over. She’s just playing the sickest joke on Earth. That’s what it was. He was going to move this last piece and she was going to pop up covered in soot with the biggest smile. She’d say something asinine and he’d call her an idiot. He would resist the urge to hug her and stand-by as Quatre chastised her.

“Wufei! Wufei! Stop!” Duo shouted as he pulled Wufei’s hands away from the largest slab of sheet rock. “You can’t move it Wufei. It’s too big. You gotta stop, man.”

With Heero’s help, they were able to pull Wufei away. Wufei felt something wet and sticky on his hands. Peering down, he saw his fingers and hands were bleeding. Both sides of his hands were covered in cuts and his arms were beginning to feel like noodles from moving heavy pieces of rubble out of his way.

Wufei looked to Duo with weak, pleading eyes. “Where is she? Where’s Ayame? Why can’t I find her?”

Duo dropped to his knees with a hand on Wufei’s shoulder. Duo pursed his lips and reluctantly met Wufei’s gaze, “she’s gone, Wufei. She’s gone.”

Three years later

Life after the war wasn’t as boring as Wufei thought it would be. Not with all the drug and weapons busts, crime solving and fighting various rebel groups who despised the Preventers and the new reform for peace. Rebel groups that wanted the Romerfeller Foundation back in order. Wufei took on anything he could to keep himself busy, the more time he spent on a mission or in his office the less he thinks about Ayame. When he was alone in his apartment, in the darkness, he faded back to the last time he saw her.

Wufei should have said something to her before climbing into Nataku. Fuck, he should have kissed her like some sort of cliché hero. He has many regrets and hatred towards himself because he didn’t, as Ayame called it, woman up. There were many things he would change, like trusting Trowa to look after Ayame. He blamed him the most out of everyone. Three years later Wufei still refused to speak to him unless he had to. He left the room as to not hurt him because Wufei didn’t trust himself around him. He wanted to send Trowa through a wall.

Duo and Heero finally getting married was one of the good things to happen. No one was surprised when they admitted they had been dating—if you could call it that—during the war. The Gundam pilots always suspected they were together during the war. As everything calmed down the two were able to explore what they’ve wanted during the war and Endless Waltz. Trowa and Quatre live together, they weren’t married, as far as anyone knew. They acted like one and were always together.

Quatre had his company build an apartment complex for the people who worked for the Preventers in every country and city. It was convenient for Duo to check in on Wufei. He lived on his own and rarely spoke to anyone, his apartment wasn’t decorated except for the few art pieces and plants Quatre and Heero brought over.

Luckily, the plants didn’t need a lot of attention since he was rarely home. Especially towards the end and beginning of the month. They were in back to back meetings about the cases that had been closed and the ones that were still open. Quatre was going down his check list as quickly possible since it was Friday and they all wanted to go home. Except maybe Wufei.

“Oh.” Quatre blinked wildly in surprise. “Wufei your sector has the best numbers. I don’t think there’s anything for you to do a few weeks.”

“Then send me somewhere where I’ll be of use.” Wufei more demanded than asked with his arms crossed over his chest and face as still and empty as ever.

Quatre shook his head, “or you can go on vacation.”

Duo chuckled, “you do know who you’re talking to, right? I don’t think Wu-man has taken a vacation in two-three years.”

“Another reason why you should take one. It isn’t healthy to work like this.” Quatre tapped his papers together before resting them on the table and leaning his arms on them.

“Wufei, when was the last time you actually slept?” Trowa asked.

Wufei glared sharp daggers at him, “you know when.”

Duo turned towards Heero with a hand cupped over his mouth and whispered, “awkward.”

Everyone still heard him.

When Heero remained silent everyone swiveled towards him. He was staring off into space, lips slightly parted, eyes wide, pupils dilated and sickly looking. The teacup he was holding inches away from his lips was beginning to slip out of his grasp.

Duo waved a hand in front of his husband, “Heero what’s wrong?”

Heero’s lips didn’t twitch.

“Ohmygod Heero do you smell toast?” Duo asked, jumping out of his chair. He gripped Heero’s shoulders and shook him, his husband’s head lobbed back and forth a little.

“Is he—is he in shock?” Quatre asked, standing and crossing over to Duo and Heero.

“Is there a safe way to bring him out of this?” Duo asked, cupping Heero’s face in his hands.

“Not without sedation.” Trowa replied.

“Try smacking him.” Wufei joked while smirking.

“Would that work?” Duo asked seriously.

“Duo don’t—” Quatre and Trowa said in unison.

“Ayame.” Heero’s voice broke through softly. Everyone immediately stopped speaking and returned their attention back to Heero.

“What about her, Heero?” Trowa gently asked.

Heero’s cup slipped out of his grip, cracking on the floor. He pointed at the television sitting in the corner of the room, it was small and out of sight unless you were sitting in front of it like Heero was. If everyone were holding cups they all would have dropped them. Ayame was on the screen, only she didn’t look like herself. Her skin was pale, almost sickly pale. Her once long and vibrant blonde hair was short, dull and darker.

“She’s…alive.” Wufei whispered, wide-eyed and stunned.

Duo scrambled over the table for the remote and unmuted it.

“Good evening. My name is Aurora Peacecraft, my uncle was King Peacecraft. I have been in hiding since the destruction of my country for far too long. I am saddened by the conflicts that continue to plaque our Earth. These disagreements, feuds, must end. I see a bright future for the whole world.”

“The way she’s speaking…” Duo said lowly.

“She doesn’t sound like herself.” Trowa finished.

“She doesn’t even look like herself.” Quatre added.

“That is why I am here today. To prove to the world The Romerfeller Foundation wants nothing but peace for our planet and colonies. They took me in when the Earth Alliance destroyed my family and country. As princess of the Sanc Kingdom, I invite you all to join my family and theirs on a joyous occasion. A union between myself and Caelum Romerfeller.”

“She can’t.” Quatre yelled, covering his mouth with a delicate hand.

“I thought Oz and Romerfeller killed her family?” Duo asked, “that’s why she told us, right?”

“Caelum, he’s…” Heero felt his throat tighten up on him.

Wufei walked around the table, grabbed Heero by the collar and shook him out of his stupor. “He’s what?” Wufei hissed between his teeth, black eyes narrowed focused.

“She has to know. There’s no way she’d go through with this if she did.” Quatre looked nervously at Heero, blue eyes watery with tears.

“What’s going on?” Duo asked, separating Wufei from Heero.

Their attention was brought back to the television just as a tall and lean man appeared on the screen. He wasn’t much older than they were, he was polished, with an equal mix of sharp and soft features. When he spoke his words were thoughtful and didn’t sound rehearsed. Wufei clenched his jaw and fists when Caelum put an arm around Ayame’s waist. He tucked her into him while her hands remained folded together in front of her. She looked weak and small, nothing at all like the girl they knew. Trowa muted the program when the news reporter flashed on the screen.

Duo nudges Heero and Wufei into their sears and worries over his husband because he’s never seen the Perfect Solider so disheveled. Quatre is back in his chair at the head of the table with his hands crossed over the files and reports.

“Our first task when we joined, Heero and I, was to go through all of Oz’s old records. What we discovered was…”

“Horror.” Heero said ghostly.

“You never told me.” Trowa gripped Quatre’s hand and smoothed over his pale knuckles. 

Wufei slammed his fists on the table, “they never told us.”

“We were ordered to keep it a secret.” Quatre calmly rebuttal. He was back to business, the tears and shock long gone.

Wufei inhaled deeply, he was simmering. On the brick of exploding with every pent of emotion from the past few years. “By Une?”

Quatre and Heero shared the same uncertain look with each other until Heero nodded his head for the blonde to continue.

“Relena and Zechs asked us not to say anything.” Quatre explained.

“Stop beating around the damn blush and tell us.” Wufei’s angry tone ricocheted off the walls, stinging their ears.

“Caelum’s father was the one who destroyed Ayame’s country with the cyclops bomb. The old leaders of her camp held her and her mother captive on his orders. They were…” Heero’s voice drifted.

“They were what?” Wufei asked through clenched teeth.

“According to Zechs, Caelum and Ayame were—are—betrothed to one another.” Quatre replied shifting nervous glances at Wufei.

Wufei relaxed, but only a little bit, when the realization hit him. “When she and her mother went to the camp it was to keep them safe. And with the Peacecraft line gone, Ayame was the only heir to the throne.”

Duo interjected, “then how did Ayame become the leader of a major rebellion?”

“Her predecessor, he murdered his predecessor when he tried to, um, assault Ayame’s mother. Her mother got caught in the crossfire and died. He took Ayame and the camp and disappeared.” Quatre explained. “The only reason why she returned to her destroyed country was to defeat the Earth Alliance, Oz and Romerfeller. But…”

“We—I—lost her.” Wufei said, defeated and exhausted into his hands.

Trowa, against his better judgement, placed a hand on Wufei’s shoulder. “Wufei, it wasn’t your fault.”

Wufei swatted his hand away, “yes it was! I left her side! I shouldn’t have left her with you!”

Duo lobbed his head backwards with an audible sigh, “Wufei we’ve been through this.”

“I know!” Wufei shouted once more. “I remembered what she had Trowa do. That still doesn’t change the fact that I _never_ should have stopped looking for her!”

“There weren’t any leads Wufei. She was gone.” Duo said gently.

“Then who the hell is that?” Wufei jabbed a finger at the television. Ayame’s picture with her new look was plastered on the screen. Her make-up had been done with light neutral tones, even with her hair short it was put in a half bun with braids twining around the base of the bun.

“They must’ve gotten to her after the explosion before we did.” Heero concluded, “they had to be near-by because we were on the scene within minutes.”

“Do you think Oz planned that whole battle just to get their hands on Ayame?” Duo leaned back in his chair laughing, but then quickly realized what came out of his mouth. “Holy shit you don’t think Oz actually did that, do you?” 

“Romerfeller probably did.” Quatre agreed, “remember? Shortly after that battle Relena became Queen.”

“Relena had her own plans, plans that Romerfeller didn’t like. If the events hadn’t gone our way the possibility of the foundation brainwashing Ayame into doing their bidding as a stand in for Relena after they killed her.” Trowa theorized out loud and received gasp from around the table.

“You scare me sometimes, you know that?” Duo asked, his ghostly appearance matching everyone’s around the table. He went back to watching the news, the camera was focused the married couple to be. Her once defiant eyes, now dead and having a staring match with the ground. “What did they do to her?”

“ I don’t want to think about that. I’d rather think about how we’re getting her back.” Quatre firmly said.

Their moods perked up a little bit hearing their leader’s optimism. Quatre was already devising plans in his head. Who they’ll need, what Une will have to sign off on. What their backup plan will be if Plans A-D failed.

Trowa gripped Wufei’s shoulder, “let’s bring her home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a new phone and my twitter has been acting weird. I can't access my writing page, so for now, until I fix it, if you want updates on when I'm writing please follow ashes_to_the_ , thank you~! Please enjoy~!!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every aspect of her life is planned. She's under constant supervision. She doesn't speak unless spoken to, she sits perfectly still and follows the rules. Ayame is trapped and she doesn't know how much longer she can stay here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: sexual assault, torture, starvation, abuse, emotional abuse and lack of control.  
> Word count: 2337  
> Author’s note: I need you guys to pay close attention to my trigger warnings. They’re up there for a reason. Enjoy!

**Ayame is awake, she has been for hours. Just like the many nights before, sleep never took her. She’s been watching the time on her clock tick by incredibly slow. She’s gotten used to her extravagant prison. It was decorated with original wood furniture, too delicate to sit on, the cushions matching the walls. On the soft blue walls are painted with oriental plant life, gold trim ran along the ceiling and floor. There was an entire wall with bookshelves inserted inside, with dusty books that haven’t been touched. There was a crystal chandelier in the middle of the room, but Ayame never turned it on because of the large panel windows lining the wall where her king size bed was located. She hated this room, but what could she do? She was trapped.**

**Right on queue there was a small knock on the door. She didn’t bother to answer or sit up as her maids entered. She caught a glimpse of the two guards posted outside. They were huge men under ordered to use force if Ayame stepped out of line. In the beginning, she put up a fight and attempted to escape multiple times. She got close a few times. She’d make it over the fence or up a tree and she’d be electrocuted.**

**Her captors would stun her and physically beat her down, but the pain didn’t bother her. Every inch of her body would hurt, but it was the getting so close to freedom, but then having it taken it away is what really hurt.**

**The maids fell into their routine, making quick work of their morning. Making Ayame’s bath, getting her dress, doing her hair and make-up. The women don’t speak to her and Ayame doesn’t speak to them. She stopped talking, unless spoken to, two years into her captivity. Yesterday’s broadcast was the first time a long time that she spoke for such a long time. Her throat hurt afterwards, but was afraid to ask for some relief.**

**“Miss, we’re finished. Your guards will take you to breakfast.” The eldest maid said quietly in Ayame’s ear. She was a thin looking young woman, probably a few years older than her. Her skin was a warm beige with pink cheeks and lightly done make-up. Her chestnut hair was up in a bun without a hair out of place. Ayame had a vague idea of her name but hadn’t bothered to remember it. As far as she considered the young woman, she was also a prison guard. _They_ were her keepers. The eyes on the walls. The ears everywhere.**

**Ayame had her schedule memorized down to the very second. Get up at 7 A.M, breakfast at 8:30 A.M, etiquette lessons at 9:30 A.M, tea time at 10 A.M, Mandarin and French from 10:15 A.M to 12 P.M, lunch at 12 P.M until 12:30 P.M and etc. Her whole day has been planned out, some of her activities would differ on what day it was, but it was all robotic for her now.**

**What was almost comical was how many guards were used to escort Ayame to and from meals or lessons. The Romerfellers had done their research. They learned first-hand how fast and strong Ayame could be. The veterans of her rebellion trained her to defend herself against multiple assailants. Now, however, she’s lost so much strength from the lack of training, food and punishment. She’d probably break her hand if she tried to punch someone.**

**“We’re here.” The front guard muttered, eyeing Ayame’s submissive demeanor with dead eyes. Like him, some of the other men stopped trying to goat a reaction out of Ayame. It wasn’t fun for them anymore and secretly she was happy they stopped.**

**“Finally.” Caelum greeted Ayame happily when she arrived as he stood from his chair. “Good morning, my dear.”**

**Ayame bowed curtly, “good morning, my lord.”**

**He pulled her chair out and scooted it in as Ayame sat. She stared down at her food, an assortment of fruits, eggs and toast and many jams it made Ayame feel nauseous. A few seconds beat passed and Caelum noticed Ayame pushing her food around her plate. She was never a fan of scrambled eggs, they tasted like rubber and squeaked in her mouth.**

**“Are you not hungry?” Caelum asked thoughtfully, gently setting his utensils down on along his plate.**

**Before Ayame decided if she was going to answer the door opened and an older lady gracefully walked in followed by two maids. She is a tall, thin, with a white hair, hateful hazel eyes and a tiny, narrow face. The two women behind her were around Genni’s age, they were just as shrewd and hateful to Ayame when no one was around. At least her maids kept their opinions to themselves until she was out of the room.**

**“Your majesty, you’re not eating? Is it not to your liking?” Genni asked, her nose stuck-up and her nasally voice matched her face.**

**Ayame began eating, regretting every bite. Swallowing dryly and carefully as to not vomit over the table. Caelum, however, is watching her intently out of the corner of his eye. Genni notes how he’s eyeing her every inch, thinking him disgusting.**

**“I thought the Peacecraft’s pride themselves on their long hair? Your cousins, Zechs and Relena, have such long and lovely hair.” Caelum compliments.**

**“Do to an incident a few years ago, we’ve kept her majesty’s hair short.” Genni explains politely, but carefully leaves out the real reason why. It was one of the many attempts to break Ayame. They had forced her into a chair and restrained her wrists too tightly. She struggled as they cut her hair with scissors and dull knives. When they sliced her skin they weren’t ordered to stop or reprimanded when they finished.**

**“I like it better longer, it’s such a pretty color. You should grow it out.” Caelum reaches over to touch her, but Genni interrupts with a fake cough before Ayame could flinch away.**

**“As you wish, your majesty, that’s enough for you.” Genni glares at Ayame and she immediately stops eating and places her eating utensils away.**

**“Hold on.” Caelum puts a hand up in front of Genni and turned to fully face Ayame. “Aurora, are you finished?”**

**Ayame glances between Caelum’s concerned doe eyes and Genni’s cold and narrowed ones. A knot formed at the base of Ayame’s throat when she heard something tighten behind Genni’s back. Genni’s favorite discipline method was taking Ayame into her room and whipping her with a thin piece of polished wood. Genni didn’t care about aim, she would leave Ayame with bleeding marks on her arms, legs and back. In the past few months, however, Genni hasn’t touched her and now Ayame knows why.**

**Swallowing the hard lump in her throat Ayame smiled sweetly. “Yes, I am. I’m afraid I don’t have much of an appetite in the morning.”**

**Caelum leans in and studies Ayame’s face with squinting dark green eyes. He leans back in his chair, still watching her suspiciously, but he then shrugged his shoulders and continued eating. Ayame sat there, with her head down unless Caelum asked her questions, to which, Genni answered for her.**

**“I haven’t seen the gardens in forever.” He dropped his napkin on his plate after wiping his mouth clean of coffee. “I would be honored if you joined me.” d**

**Caelum’s voice was tender and calm, he reached across the table and downwards until a hand shielded hers that remained cupped over her lap. Ayame’s heart raced at the thought of going outside, to see the clouds and bask under the sun. Her mouth released the words, faster than Genni could reply.**

**“I would like that very much, thank you. If we are to be married in a few weeks we should spend a little time together.” Ayame smiled brightly, teeth showing and eyes sparkling.**

**Caelum stood abruptly, startling everyone, his face lit up like a child at play. “Then let us embark immediately. Lady Genni, we’ll have no need for guards.”**

**Genni dropped her hands and took a step forwards with her mouth hung open, “but sir!”**

**Caelum snapped his head at Genni, Ayame couldn’t see his expression, because he was behind her pulling her chair out. She imagined it was threatening because Genni’s face went pale and she screwed her lips shut.**

**When Caelum is leading Ayame out of the room she resisted the urge to look back and flash Genni an overconfident smirk. As they walked arm in arm, down the hall, the guards watched them suspiciously until they disappeared through the ivory French doors. Ayame was hesitant to walk out, her feet still shrouded in shadow. She braced herself against the door, her fingers and arm twitching against the polish metal and a cold sweat formed underneath her bangs.**

**Her head swirled and panged all at once with all the memories of her fail attempts. Being thrown down, stunned into unconsciousness, held in place and beaten. Her final attempt plagued her nightmares. Ayame managed to pick her lock and snuck out onto the very patio they were standing on now. She was too concerned looking forward, she wasn’t paying attention to her six. Just as she stood, a guard tackled her to the ground. He shouted for backup as Ayame began to fight back. Feeling his hand slid under skirt, made her blood run cold. Her fists stopped pounding against his chest and her kicking legs dropped lifeless.**

**Ayame thought it was all in her head, that she was imagining everything. His hand traveled up more, stopping with enough of inches before her underwear. Bloomers, if Genni were here to correct her. She felt his hot breath send shivers down her neck and his chapped lips smiling underneath her ear. Ayame thought she was going to throw up, right then and there, all over him, when she heard him inhaling the scene of her hair.**

**She’s never peered at the rose garden beyond the French doors the same way. Now they were a bad memory. Ruined. Like everything else.**

**“What’s the matter?” Caelum returned to her at the door. He was hesitant at first, but he had placed his hands on her hips to hold her steady. She probably looked like she was going to faint at any moment. He stepped down a single step, his hands remaining on the small dip of her hips.**

**“How long has it been since you’ve been outside?” Caelum whispered. He knew the guards would stay out of view, but they would remain close enough to hear their conversation.**

**Ayame steps back, her green eyes go wide and watery. “How…how did you know?”**

**“My cousin, Dorothy, told me about you.” Caelum replied, lowly.**

**Ayame has only heard of Dorothy but knows that the granddaughter of the late leader of the Romerfeller Foundation loved war. Dorothy worked alongside the Gundam pilots during Endless Waltz. They’ve never met and for probably exceptionally good reason. Just to piss everyone off, Dorothy probably would have set Ayame free.**

**Ayame doesn’t speak, she doesn’t move. All she could do to keep herself cemented in place was to count the tiny freckles on dusting Caelum’s face. Caelum moved ones hand away to hold hers and runs a thumb over a few of her fingers.**

**“Aurora I want to assure you that I am nothing like my grandfather. I want to do good through our arranged marriage. I will honor you and the beliefs the Peacecraft family to the best of my ability.”**

**Caelum stepped further away, lowered himself down on one knee and dug out a tiny black box. He carefully opened it, revealing a silver band with a single diamond crowned in the middle of the band.**

**“I realize we just announced our engagement and we’ll be man and wife at the end of the month. But I want to do this right. Will you marry me?”**

**Ayame sucks in a shallow breath, wanting to refuse, but she knows she can’t. Genni would probably beat her to death, it also wasn’t an option in general. The Romerfellers would force it and then she’d really be trapped.**

**Ayame bit back and dug her feet in when she offered her left hand to Caelum. He didn’t say anything, just smiled fondly and slid the ring up her finger. He stood, climbed the last few steps until he was taller than her. He pulled her in by her elbows so the only area she could rest her hands on was his chest. She half expected Caelum to kiss her when he leaned in, his eyes softly closing. Her heart pounded loudly against her chest as the color of her green eyes slowly faded out. She internally prayed he didn’t see the guilt plain as day on her pale face.**

**Her mind couldn’t help but wonder to the night she and Wufei were locked in the shed together. Caelum had the same lingering expression just as Wufei did when he wanted answers. Ayame would always wonder if Wufei wanted to act on his emotions. To hold her just like Caelum is now. If they hadn’t been interrupted that night, would they have kissed? If they had, would Ayame’s final battle turn out differently? Would she have sacrificed herself?**

**Ayame blinked open her eyes when she felt soft lips pucker against her cheek bone. When he pulls away he Ayame could have sworn she saw concern in Caelum’s deep green eyes. Her cheek did protrude a little from the lack of food. He brushed the strayed fringe of hair out of her eyes and tucked them behind her ear, but they bounced back to hang over gently over her eyes.**

**“Have I don’t something wrong?” Ayame’s asked, looking away to avoid his eyes that bore deep inside her soul.**

**Caelum slowly tilted her head back to him, the bed of his thumb drawing small circles on her chin, “You’re lovely, my dear Aurora.”**


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys form a plan to save their friend, but Ayame is contemplating her own escape even if it gets her killed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: mentions suicide attempts, physical and mental abuse, panic attack and intrusive thoughts. 
> 
> Word count: 4,158
> 
> Author’s note: I guess I forgot to upload chapter nine when it was finished. So you’ll be getting two chapters this month. I’ll be planning out the rest of the story for the rest of the month and updating my Young Justice story. I’m hoping I know how many chapter there will be before too long. Have a great day guys~! Thanks for reading~!!
> 
> Y'all when I was editing the last page I was listening to “I’ll Never Love Again” by Lady Gaga and I am just wrecked. I’ve had Behind the Sea playlist on shuffle and I was attacked.

**Quatre had called everyone in before the crack of dawn. Not that Wufei was asleep or had been sleeping much since they discovered Ayame was alive. That was almost a month ago and Wufei has been collecting every piece of information he could. Since the news conference Ayame has been in two interviews and three photoshoots. Caelum was involved in all five of them and by all accounts they looked like a happy couple.**

**Wufei kept lingering on Ayame’s photos. To him, she didn’t look like herself. Short hair, pale skin, forced smiles and frail looking. He needed her back, he needed to hold her to make sure she was real. To feel her heartbeat and to hear her breathing. He didn’t know what he’d do with himself if they were unable to rescue her. Or at least speak with her.**

**Wufei was the first to arrive at Quatre and Trowa’s home. Quatre had secluded himself in his office and Wufei felt he may have disappeared on purpose. To give Trowa and him alone time. Wufei wasn’t ready to forgive him, but he could feel himself starting to waver. He understood why Ayame trusted Trowa the most, they became friends fast and their personalities were the same. Except for Ayame’s few quirks. She confined in Trowa more than Wufei knew. Losing her family at such a young age of course she would come to see them as her family. She was protective and would do anything, obviously, to keep them safe.**

**Trowa and Wufei were sitting in the living room. Silently sipping on their coffee, the television playing in the background. Trowa wanted to speak, but he was afraid his words would fall on deaf ears. Over the last few weeks he had felt Wufei’s tense energy was waning, but at the same time he was attempting to rush them. He knew why, they all did. Telling the usual patient man to be patient was making him more an more impatient.**

**“I’m sorry.” Wufei said suddenly.**

**Trowa nearly dropped his cup in surprise. He quickly recovered and watched Wufei with soft intent.**

**“How I’ve been acting towards you, it wasn’t fair. You were just doing what Ayame wanted and I should have honored that. But I didn’t. I was just angry she sacrificed herself like that and I took it out on you.” Wufei continued, “I’m sorry.”**

**“You don’t have to apologize Wufei.” Trowa said as he placed his cup down, “but I appreciate the notion.”**

**Heero and Duo arrived within minutes after their conversation had ended. With donuts. Duo was prepared to carry the tête-à-têtes, however, when they walked in Trowa and Wufei were sitting next to each other talking freely. Heero pinched Duo, predicting he was going to ask.**

**They were snaking on Donuts when Quatre dramatically entered the room and slammed a fancy envelope on the coffee table. Everyone peered over the table, reading Quatre and Trowa’s name in fancy gold cursive.**

**“Is that what I think it is?” Duo asked.**

**“It is.” Quatre nodded, “the wedding is in two weeks. I’m willing to bet Relena and Dorothy received one as well. So here’s what I’m thinking, we divide into three teams. Duo and Heero will act as Dorothy’s bodyguards and Wufei will also go as a bodyguard, but for Relena. Since they’re her cousins, they’ll be able to see Ayame before the ceremony begins.”**

**“That will give us a chance to see her.” Heero said.**

**“What will you and Trowa be doing? Because those coat closets aren’t as roomy as you’d think they are.” Duo said, winking at Wufei. He just scoffed and returned his attention back to Quatre.**

**Quatre shook his head, “Trowa and I will be running interference while you two sneak her out. And I mean sneak, Heero, no explosions, no guns. In order for this to work we need absolute stealth.”**

**“Wouldn’t it make sense to send Trowa with Duo instead? They are the stealthiest out of all of us.” Heero suggested.**

**“Trowa and I are expected to be together. Besides if you two run into any difficulties Duo and Ayame will need you.” Quatre explained.**

**The discussion around him began static as Wufei starred down at Ayame’s real name written above Caelum’s. Seeing the invitation made everything real and his stomach began to feel nauseous. His heart raced, his skin felt like it was on fire and his blood was pooling in his ears.**

**Trowa happened to look over at Wufei and saw his skin turn pale. “Are you alright?”**

**Wufei choked out a, “no.” Before he hunched over with his arms wrapped around his stomach. Everything he’s been feeling was pushing their way to the surface. He imagined Ayame standing at the altar, beautiful in all white. Caelum was with her, they looked happy repeating their vows. But then there was gun shot and Ayame fell to the floor. Caelum stood there with a gun pointing down at her, emptying the clip into her already lifeless corpse.**

**Trowa soothed his back with small circles and Duo dunked a tea cloth into the cold water and placed it on the back of his neck.**

**“Deep breaths Fei.” Duo whispered, sitting down on the floor in front of Wufei. He looked back at Quatre and Heero, obviously freaked because their friend who was always in control of his emotions was losing it. What could they do for him? It was impossible to make Ayame magically appear.**

**“We’ll have her back soon, Wufei.” Duo said.**

**Wufei gripped Duo’s shirt weakly, tugging on him. Immediately, Duo wrapped his arms around him. It was embarrassing for him to be seen like this, but he wanted to feel safe. Duo was that net. As much as the braided fool irritated him, he trusted him. The first year after Ayame died, Duo was the only one who could get him to smile, to breathe. Duo slept over at his apartment whenever Heero worked late, he made sure Wufei ate and slept.**

**The others left to give them space. They refined their plan in the other room. Trowa suggested they should keep Dorothy and Relena out of the loop because in the worst case scenario they should have complete plausible deniability. Heero disagreed Dorothy and Relena’s positions would protect them. They would find out anyway, they always did.**

**Duo poked his head out, giving them the all clear by tilting his head back. Wufei was standing with the invitation in hand. He looked exhausted with his eyes red and puffy. He turned towards them when Duo cleared his throat.**

**“I’m happy she’s alive. I’ve missed her.” He said, “but I don’t agree with your plan.”**

**He wouldn’t pinpoint it, but everything just felt…wrong.**

**“May I ask why?” Quatre asked nicely.**

**“We thought she was dead, we accepted that. Now, after three years, she resurfaces. Why? What game are the Romerfellers playing? I don’t think I have to point out that she doesn’t look like our Ayame.” Wufei paused, “if we do manage to safely get her out are we prepared for the difference three years has done to her?”**

**“You’re worried she won’t remember us?” Duo asked.**

**Wufei shook his head, “yes and no. I’m worried she _will_ remember us, but what will she do once she sees us. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’ve hurt her in some way, she’s strong. Stronger than any of us, but what if—”**

**“Are you suggesting brainwash, Wufei?” Heero asked, raising a skeptic eyebrow.**

**“Yes and it makes sense. They put on this show, they put Ayame front in center to not just draw everyone in. But us. The Romerfellers have to know that we will do anything to save her. They’re baiting us.” Wufei said.**

**“I’m following you, but what are you suggesting that we don’t save her?” Quatre asked.**

**“I think we should, but we need to absolutely careful. Ayame was capable to take us out back then, but if she’s become their puppet? There’s no telling what she’s capable of now.”**

**Ayame is standing on a pedestal surrounded by mirrors on all sides. Her maids are pinning the areas that needed to be taken in and trimming the lace around her wrists. They’re discussing what should be done about her when Genni walked in.**

**Immediately Genni marveled at the dress. “My, my, my, you really do look like a princess.”**

**Ayame doesn’t say anything, she stares pass her reflection. With the count down to the wedding getting closer she’s become more and more quiet. Hiding her panic deep inside so no one could see. Her brain was coming up with plans of escape she knews she won’t be able to pull off.**

**“Ladies will you give us a moment?” Genni asked, holding her hand out for the tomato cushion for the pins.**

**Ayame’s maids leave after they curtsy and she turns to face Genni. Ayame remains still as the old crow runs a cold hand over the silk of her dress and then up to her face. Ayame braces herself as Genni’s hand disappeared into her hair. Ayame yelps when Genni yanked her down by her hair, making her trip down the ledge. She tugged her close so Ayame could clearly see the hatred in her old eyes.**

**“Let me remind you, Lord Caelum is not your savior. He may think he’s in charge, but he is not. The two of you were betrothed for the soul purpose of reuniting two families and to produce heirs. I expect you to remember your place. You have no say, you have no rights.”**

**Genni pulled her up and fixed the dress around her. She looked thoughtful for a moment and then her gaze coldly dropped. “Such a shame, the dress is so lovely. Oh well, there’s only so much we can do with you. Smile, my dear. It is the only good thing about you.”**

**Genni took all the air with her, suffocating Ayame as she fell against the pedestal. Her maids walked in and found her on the floor, sobbing into her arm. Their jaws fell open and they exchanged _what-the-fuck-do-we-do_ looks with each other. They knew Genni treated Ayame horrendously, but in their low totem positions they couldn’t do or say anything. And Ayame always dealt with the hostility with grace.**

**The elder of the maids, crouched next to Ayame and drew her into her arms. She ordered the other two to start dismantling the dress and she held Ayame, running a soothing hand over her hair. After they had put her in a springtime color maxi dress, they hide her puffy eyes and flushed cheeks with make-up. Ayame was too embarrassed to thank them out loud, she opted to squeezing their hands when the guards came to collect her.**

**The guards lead Ayame to the tearoom where Caelum had been waiting patiently. She was happy to see him, he was, after all, the closest thing to freedom she’d ever get. Caelum stands to greet her, kissing her on the cheek.**

**He turns towards the guards. “You can leave.”**

**“I’m sorry sir, but we are under orders to stay by the Princess’s side.”**

**“And I’m telling you to disappear.” Caelum said, glaring down at them.**

**“I’m sorry sir, but that won’t be happening.”**

**“Was it Lady Genni that ordered this? Let me remind you, as a Lord, I outrank all of you and Lady Genni. Disobeying my direct orders mean dire consequences for all of you.” Caelum threatened, pushing Ayame behind him.**

**Takin in the new information the guards bowed to the two and left the room. Ayame released the air she had been holding and nearly fell to the floor.**

**“Are you alright?” Caelum asks, resting a hand on her shoulder.**

**“That was stressful to watch.” Ayame said.**

**“Then how about a walk? The fresh air will clear our minds.”**

**This time, without hesitation, Ayame went outside. Leaving her shoes in Caelum’s hands. He followed her, laughing every time she paused under the sunlight broke through the clouds.**

**“You really love this, don’t you?” Caelum asked.**

**“When you grow up under the sun and surrounded by nature, you tend to miss it when it’s taken away from you.”**

**“I thought you grew up in the palace in a faraway country?” Caelum asked.**

**“Not…exactly.” Ayame returned to Caelum, eyes casted downwards as she considered her words carefully. “What…what if I told you I used to be the leader of a Northern rebellion group called the Blades, who fought against the Earth Alliance and Oz?”**

**Caelum cocked his head to the side. “That’s an interesting and imaginative what if.”**

**Ayame doesn’t answer, just stares off into the distance. The natural light giving way to the stress her maids had hidden. Caelum wasn’t blind, he was well aware of Genni being a source of fear for Ayame. He did his best to shield her from the old woman, but they were allowed a few hours to be together a day. The things she said sometimes and the aura she exuded had him curious.**

**“It is just a story, Aurora. Right?” He inquired. He knew there was more to her than what his family told him. He caught her face in his free hand and lifted it so their eyes could meet.**

**“I helped the Gundam pilots destroy several Earth Alliance and Oz facilities.” She said softly**

**“You’re not joking, are you?”**

**Ayame shook her head, “I’ve fought on the front lines. I have killed many without remorse. I did anything and everything I could to keep a territory free of your family’s grip. I’ve held the hands of my men until they died. I have buried many friends and grieved quietly for the ones we couldn’t.”**

**“Why tell me? I could tell my superiors. They could have you killed.” Caelum had released her, stepping back to measure up the woman who stood before him.**

**Ayame falls silent but holds Caelum’s fierce gaze. The solider in her rising to the surface. Killing Caelum could be the best distraction to make her escape or it could get her killed. Honestly, she’d be fine with either.**

**“That’s what you want, isn’t it? You want to die.”**

**“They stopped me the first time.” Ayame stared off into the distance. “More than anything? I want to be with him.”**

**“Him who?”**

**“His name was Wufei. He was a Gundam pilot and he killed himself after his colony was destroyed right before his eyes.” Ayame said.**

**“Were you two close?” Caelum asked.**

**“I loved him and I never had the chance to tell him.” Her biggest regret.**

**The car ride was taking forever. Was Quatre’s driver even going the speed limit? Trowa and Quatre didn’t seem to notice. They were too busy going over paperwork. He was half listening to their conversation when his ears perked up at a particular word.**

**“What about a hospital?” He asked.**

**“It’s just in case Ayame needs one.” Quatre replied, “it’s precautionary.”**

**“What else is precautionary?” Wufei choked on the real question he wanted to ask. Is planning her funeral precautionary as well? Were they planning to dissimilate her mind if she had been brainwashed?**

**“We just have to be prepared for everything.” Quatre said, his voice soft. “It’s my family’s hospital. We’ll be able to hide her there until she’s better.”**

**Before their conversation could continue Quatre’s phone rang. Wufei sat back with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting patiently to continue their discussion. Trowa offered him a book that he had brought along, but Wufei politely refused. He shared a few words, looked confused for half a moment, and then hung up the phone.**

**“Well that was odd.”**

**“Who was it?” Trowa asked.**

**“Heero. He says there’s someone we should meet before we commence with our mission.”**

**“Can’t it wait?” Wufei asked, his hand clenching around his shirt’s material.**

**Quatre saw the motion and clicked his tongue, “Heero doesn’t think so.”**

**Wufei sighed heavily, “great.”**

**“Wufei I know you have an issue with the plan, but everyone agreed this is the best way to save her. We’ve taken your thoughts into consideration and adjusted. You have to trust us.” Quatre said.**

**“I do trust all of you. It’s this situation I don’t trust.” Wufei said before he returned to looking out the window ending the conversation.**

**The anxiety Wufei felt was long gone and now all he was was a ball anger fuming in the corner of the car. Which made for the longest car ride the three have ever endured. Every so often Quatre would reach over and place a hand on his knee. It worked, but only for a few minutes until he was back at it. When the mansion came into view the air left his lungs and his body stopped moving.**

**The driver pulled up to the grand entrance, where an older man escorted all of them to a waiting room. Heero, Duo, Dorothy and Relena were already there and stood when the three entered.**

**Duo and Heero moved to welcome them, giving them clear view of Caelum sitting across from Relena. Wufei almost snapped, he wanted to rush the future prince and throw him into a wall. Several times. He fought the urge and focused the sudden rage and stuffed his hands into his pocket.**

**“You all know Caelum.” Relena introduced them.**

**Caelum stood, buttoning his smoker’s jacket as he approached them with his hand extended. Quatre and Trowa shook it, but Wufei glared at him.**

**“What’s going on?” Wufei asked, looking over in Heero’s direction.**

**“Don’t ask me, ask Caelum.” Heero said.**

**Wufei rolled his eyes, cryptic as ever.**

**“And why should we trust him? He is a Romerfeller.” Trowa asked.**

**“Not all Romerfellers are the same.” Dorothy said, closing the door behind her.**

**“True cousin. I am nothing like our grandfather.” Caelum said.**

**“I can attest to that. Cael has always looked up to the Peacecrafts and has no stomach for war. Even when we were children.” Dorothy added.**

**“I wanted to be worthy whenever Aurora and I married.” Caelum admitted.**

**“That’s very noble, but why help us now? You’ve had plenty of time to contact the Preventers and help us out.” Duo asked, leaning against the back of a couch.**

**“I’m not helping you. I’m helping Aurora. She’s told me who she was. What she used to do, what the war had put her through personally. Being a Romerfeller and all I can get my hands on files no one else can. It only took a day, but I confirmed her story.”**

**Quatre put his hands up to pause Caelum’s story. “She told you. Why?”**

**“I’m not sure exactly. Maybe she thought if I knew who she was I would take a number out of my grandfather’s book and stage an _accident_ after our wedding.” Caelum replied. “She’s a complicated young woman.”**

**“You don’t have to tell us.” Duo snickered, “or Wufei. He got the blunt end of her personality the most.”**

**Caelum’s head whipped in Wufei’s direction. “You’re Wufei?”**

**Not knowing what else to do, Wufei just awkwardly nodded his head.**

**“She told me a lot about you.” Caelum clapped him on the back and then gripped his shoulder with a giant grin, “She thinks you’re dead. Well, this will be a lovely surprised for her I think.”**

**Wufei shoed his hand away, “why does she think I’m dead?”**

**“She was told you were. By whom I’m sure I don’t know.” Caelum replied.**

**Wufei curses something in under his breath, fixed his jacket and turned to walk out the door. Heero and Trowa were quick to stop him. He fought back, demanding to be released. Quatre stood in front of him and cupped his face in his soft hands.**

**“You can’t go to her. Not right now, not like this. You both will be killed.” Quatre spoke softly, calming Wufei until his arms were relaxed in Heero and Trowa’s grip.**

**“Please, I urge you to listen to your comraded. Aurora—Ayame—isn’t strong enough to be in a fight. There are moments when I saw it, the will of hers to fight astounds me, but she physically cannot.” Caelum pleaded. “If you want to go through with this, I need to warn you. She looks far worse in person than she does on screen.”**

**Caelum dug in his pocket and threw a decoding device at Wufei.**

**“What’s this?” He asked.**

**“A code to the Leo’s in the basement of the mansion, along with some guns, ammunition and small bombs. I’m well aware of your plan, but please hear me out.” Caelum said.**

**“What did you have in mind?” Wufei clutched the decoder in his hand.**

**Genni was putting the last pearl beaded hair pin into Ayame’s hair. Complaining the whole time how she wished it was longer and then jammed a few more pins into her head. Ayame jerked away, but Genni pulled her back and glared at her in the mirror. A look of warning if she moved again.**

**A knock at the door ruined Genni’s concentration and she set everything down in a loud clunk to answer it. Her shoes sounding like uncoordinated hoof clops along the way. Her mood and attitude did a 180 when she opened the door.**

**“Ah, yes, hello. Welcome, welcome.” Genny greeted overly excited. “Princess, your cousins, Relena and Dorothy, are here.”**

**A new hope sprung in her heart. Maybe the other Gundam pilots were here as well? Ayame turned in her chair, greeting them warmly with a smile. Dorothy approached first and hugged Ayame, two arms around her protectively.**

**“You look stunning.” Dorothy said, taking the pin that Genni just placed out. Ayame caught the look of irritation on her voice and couldn’t help but flash her a quick smirk.**

**“You really do.” Relena added, “thank you Genni. That will be all.”**

**“I must insist that I stay to help with the final preparations.” Genni insisted.**

**The final preparations being to threaten Ayame if she doesn’t follow the itinerary to the letter.**

**Dorothy stood from her hunched position and stared Genni down like she was on top the tallest white horse. “You were asked to leave, now do so.”**

**Genni stuttered through her words. Something only Caelum was able to do. “How dare you! You have no right to talk to me like that.”**

**Dorothy took a step forward glaring down at her with scary contempt. Genni took a step back. “I am the late Duke Dermail’s granddaughter and Miss Relena is the current representative of a the E.S.U.N. We out rank you. We will always out rank you.”**

**“Please Genni, please leave.” Relena says in a softer tone. Genni considers the three girls for a moment, glares down Ayame before Relena blocks her view. The spiteful woman leaves in a gust of irritated wind.**

**“Are you alright?” Relena asked.**

**“Yes, thank you. She can be…terrifying.” Ayame replied, a hand of relief on her chest.**

**“We bring you good news Ayame.” Dorothy nodded to Relena.**

**To hear her real name was so confusing. She was rarely called Aurora in the walls of her prisons, but to hear it spoken so tenderly was like an out of body experience. Ayame stopped existing years ago.**

**Relena bent down and covered Ayame’s hands with her own. “The whole time you’ve been held captive, you’ve been lied to.”**

**“What do you mean?” Ayame asked.**

**“Wufei is alive. He and the other pilots are here to take you home.” Relena replied.**

**“No. No he’s not. He died. They showed me pictures. He-he can’t be.” Ayame’s voice cracked.**

**“They found someone who looks like Wufei and staged everything.” Dorothy explained.**

**“We were just in the room with him.” Relena added. “He’s been with the Preventers along with the others.”**

**“You’re lying. Wufei is gone.” Ayame felt her eyes sting, “he’s gone and he’s never coming back.”**

**Dorothy and Relena looked at each other, not sure what could be said to make Ayame believe them.**

**“No Ayame. He’s alive.” Trowa said as soon as the door was closed.**

**Ayame gasped and stood in shock and ran to him. Trowa enveloped her with his arms and drew in a shaky breath and buried his face into the nook of her neck.**

**“I’m so sorry, Ayame. I’m sorry.” He sobbed, “we should have kept looking.”**

**Ayame raised her head and kissed his cheek, tears streaming down her cheek. She didn’t need to say it, he saw the understanding in her eyes. He wiped the tears away from their faces, wiping more at her make-up because she didn’t look like herself.**

**“There’s someone who wants to talk to you.” He said, placing the device against her ear and she held it there over his hand.**

**“Hello?”**

**“Ayame.” Wufei sighed with soft relief.**

**Tears freely fell again, “Wufei, you’re—”**

**“Alive and I’m coming for you.”**

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on writing twitter @Corra_Lynne for updates on when I'm writing or at least struggling to. I also hold polls for when I can't figure out where to take the story and you get to choose, but won't know the outcome until the chapter is posted along with the most popular answer.


End file.
